Wuhu Shipyard has commissioned an intelligent hull-processing line covering the full chain of flame and plasma cutting, pre-panel assembly, welding, automatic marking, longitudinal bone hoisting, installation and welding.
The facility is designed for continuous operation, with robots handling core processes while workers focus on final repair and grinding.
According to the company, the line raises the monthly output of flat plates to 253 pieces with about 40% flat sections, compared to around 200 pieces previously.
With dual-shift robot operation, capacity may reach 260 pieces.
An intelligent roller conveyor supports uninterrupted production where “workers rotate but machines keep running.” Wuhu Shipyard states that plate flatness is maintained within ≤2 mm, welding deformation precision has improved, and quality costs have decreased by more than 5%. Real-time data collection provides traceability and forecasting for quality issues.
Labor deployment has been reduced from 35 to 20 workers per shift, which the company calculates saves about RMB 3 million annually for two shifts, based on an average annual cost of RMB 100,000 per worker.
Laser tracking welding with ±0.15 mm precision has lowered consumables use by 23%, while mechanical flattening has replaced fire-based methods, cutting RMB 260,000 in acetylene costs per year. Welding heat input has fallen by 23%, reducing electricity consumption year-on-year.
The company reports that process connection efficiency has increased by more than 30%. A CNC system enables rapid parameter changes for different plate sizes and longitudinal spacing without mechanical reconfiguration, aimed at small-batch and varied production.
Environmental data reported by the company includes an annual reduction of more than 18 tons of acetylene consumption and an improvement in electricity efficiency of 23%. Employee training programs are underway to shift operators toward intelligent operation and maintenance roles.
Wuhu Shipyard Co., Ltd. is a state-owned enterprise registered in Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China. It operates as a shipbuilding and repair company with business in inland and coastal vessel construction.
Weihai Marine Industrial Base is a shipbuilding and marine engineering site developed under the administration of Wuhu Shipyard. It operates in Shandong Province, China, and is registered as a marine industrial facility with a focus on digitalized and automated manufacturing processes.