Ship Construction, Materials and Production Engineering
What this domain tests
Steel selection and toughness, welding procedure control, non-destructive testing, block construction and accuracy control, coating, and trial procedures. The exam wants evidence that you understand why a construction choice affects surveyability and structural reliability.
Materials and welding
- Normal strength grades A, B, D, E and higher strength grades AH32 to EH40; the letter denotes impact toughness temperature and the number the yield level. Thicker plate and colder service demand tougher steel.
- Welding is controlled by a qualified WPS supported by a procedure qualification record, executed by qualified welders. Processes include SAW, FCAW and GMAW; preheat and hydrogen control prevent cold cracking.
- Non-destructive testing: radiography for volumetric defects, ultrasonic testing for internal planar flaws, magnetic particle for surface cracks in ferromagnetic steel, dye penetrant for non-magnetic materials. Extent follows classification rules.
Production
Block and grand-block assembly, pre-outfitting, dimensional accuracy control, distortion management, coating to the PSPC standard for ballast tanks, and inspection of closed spaces. Mill certificates to EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 provide traceability.
Trials
Dock trial, sea trial, inclining experiment to establish lightship KG, deadweight survey, and confirmation of contractual speed and consumption.
Worked example
A ballast tank boundary in a 25-year-life ship needs a net thickness of 11.5 mm. With a rule corrosion addition of 2.0 mm, the required as-built thickness is 13.5 mm. The nearest standard plate is 14.0 mm, which is acceptable and carries a 0.5 mm surplus. If the yard proposed 12.0 mm plate, the net thickness would be 10.0 mm, a 13% loss of section and a class nonconformity, not a commercial choice.
Traps
Selecting steel grade by thickness alone without checking the toughness requirement; accepting welds without a qualified WPS; confusing MT and PT applications; treating coating as cosmetic rather than a corrosion-control requirement; performing the inclining experiment before the ship is complete.