Model Based Definition in shipbuilding. Improving the information flow of the secondary steel process in shipbuilding with the use of Model Based Definition: A design science approach.

Digitalization helps companies to become more efficient, therefore new developments should be followed closely. One of these developments is the use of 3D models. An increasing amount of information can be processed by the 3D models. This research will look into one of these developments: Model Based Definition. With Model Based Definition (MBD) additional information, like the product and manufacturing information, is transferred through the 3D model, making 2D engineering drawings superfluous (Quintana, et al., 2010). A limited amount of case studies have been conducted, see knowledge base, and no case study shows the implementation process of MBD. Model Based Definition has several benefits over traditional methods, but is not implemented and explored for opportunities in a shipbuilding environment. This research aims to find an implementation method for MBD in shipbuilding by answering the following research question: ‘How can Model Based Definition be applied to improve the information flow between engineering, production and outfitting of shipbuilding companies?’Technology, Policy and ManagementEngineering, Systems and ServicesInformation and Communication Technology (ICT