Dimensional Control and Analysis at Thyssen Nordseewerke

Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH, located in Emden on the North Sea coast, has a long tradition dating back to 1903, when the shipyard was founded as the “Nordseewerke Emder Werft und Dock Aktiengesellschaft”. Around 500 merchant ships, and 60 submarines and frigates have been built to date. With a staff of around 1,350, the yard is now one of the most modern shipbuilding enterprises in Europe, producing highquality container ships, special vessels, icebreakers, frigates and submarines.

At Thyssen Nordseewerke, ships are erected on the slipway. Parts and segments of up to approx. 350 tons unit weight are fabricated in the surrounding sheds, before the blocks are craned onto the slipway for erection. “Best-fit” construction requires utmost precision in fabrication and measurement during all stages of manufacture. Production and quality control managers have thus opted to use the Leica Geosytems DCA-TPS system for ongoing control and on-site measurement.

All measurements within the hull are based on the marked centre line or a reference line parallel to this and a predetermined "principle object point" for the second level co-ordinate. Markings on bulkheads, the water line or defined object points within the spaces provide references for level. In submarine construction, the main axis plane or centre plane is used in setting out. Special navigation or sonar components are set out using a primary reference line. . . . .