WinGD commits to Shipdex digital data exchange protocol

Shipdex Steering Committee Meeting took place November 9 at WinGD's headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland

NOVEMBER 10, 2017 — Engine designer Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. (WinGD) has announced its participation in the Shipdex community, which promotes the use of the Shipdex ship data exchange protocol.

The Shipdex organization has introduced a version of the S1000D specification for digital data exchange applied in the aerospace and defense industry, and adapted to the marine sector. This S1000D specification standardizes electronic dissemination of technical data to equipment makers, shipyards and shipowners.

WinGD is committed to making all its technical documentation available to shipbuilders and operators in a digital form that complies with the precisely defined and internationally established standards in Shipdex.

The primary scope of Shipdex is to allow manufacturers and customer to create a technical documentation repository where all the data are collected and managed under quality, configuration and version control. In addition, the protocol allows the automatic import of technical data into the Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) at shipyards and on board vessels.

“With important data, such as our Operation Manuals, Maintenance Manuals and Spare Parts Catalog, converted into Interactive Electronic Technical Publications (IETP), we can compile, structure and deliver the data to shipbuilders and engine end-users much more rapidly and effectively,” says Rudolf Holtbecker, Director Operations in WinGD.

WinGD has completed its first project to make data on its engines accessible in accordance with Shipdex standards.

“Our recently launched X52 diesel engine is our first new engine project in which we employed Shipdex standards for all technical documentation,” says Mr. Holtbecker. “We will now continue to apply the philosophy to all new engines and convert existing documentation for our complete engine portfolio with an overall target of having the complete portfolio accessible by mid-2020.”

With the application of Shipdex standards, WinGD says it plans to leverage the full potential of digitalization in the design, production and operation of its low-speed engines.

“Shipdex allows us to realize digitization as an industry trend and ensures that all possibilities are considered and all synergies realized,” notes Mr. Holtbecker. “The fact that almost all modern ship management programs are compatible with Shipdex means that this format will have a very positive impact.”

Beyond the automated data exchange, WinGD sees great potential in training crews in accordance with the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM), the standard for e-learning employed within Shipdex. Also, the maintenance planning functionality offers further benefits to customers.

The Shipdex standard is continuously evolving new features to meet the users’ demands. Currently under development is an in-service field data-feedback standard is under development.

“With WinGD on board, Shipdex has gained a very important designer of ships’ equipment,” says Marco Vatteroni, technical manager within the Shipdex organization. “WinGD’s participation represents a major step towards establishing a comprehensive community of marine equipment suppliers who are all supporting the optimisation of production and asset management in the shipping sector through the potential of digital information exchange. I am very proud to cooperate with WinGD to implement their Shipdex process.”