SusCon (Sustainable Shipbuilding Concepts) was a research project at the University of Turku from 2020 to 2022. The project conducted research about sustainability in shipbuilding by incorporating virtual reality (VR) based design reviews for cruise ship interiors. Companies that participated in the research utilized CTRL Elements for visualization and communication purposes.
Since each ship is unique, new plans and drawings are required for each vessel, but physical mock-ups of interior parts are typically required before plans are accepted. However, physical mock-ups only provide a limited view of a small portion of the ship’s interior. In contrast, VR allows for the observation of 3D models in real size and from any direction, which can be useful for engineering and design reviews. Users can manipulate virtual models to hide or show different details and materials, and to look inside structures that would be difficult to see in physical mock-ups.
In general, the companies that took part in the project found virtual reality to be a valuable tool. It was proven to be advantageous in both design reviews and the overall design process, particularly with regards to the interiors of cruise ships. The participating companies intend to persist in using VR and anticipate that it will eventually become an indispensable component of their production procedures.
You can read more about the SusCon project here: https://ar.utu.fi/suscon/