1. Overview

In the shipbuilding and offshore design industry, the importance of structural analysis software continues to grow. The accuracy and efficiency of hull structure analysis are key factors that determine design productivity at shipyards, leading to rising demand for more sophisticated and powerful software. Developed by KR, SeaTrust-HullScan has continuously evolved to meet these demands, becoming an essential tool in the industry through enhanced capabilities for handling large-scale finite element (FE) models and improvements in intuitive UI/UX design.

Launched in April 2023, SeaTrust-HullScan V3 received positive feedback from users by significant enhancements in graphic processing performance and FE analysis functionality. Since then, KR has continued to refine the software by incorporating user feedback and the latest ship and offshore design standards. Recent improvements include enhanced visibility, an expanded interactive UI, upgraded selection tools, advanced local fine mesh capabilities, and integration of the latest rule revisions—enabling more precise structural analysis and improved user convenience.

 2. Key Improvements

2.1 Enhanced Visibility

The color bar used to visually display analysis results is a critical element for improving readability and facilitating intuitive data interpretation. In the previous version, insufficient contrast between some colors made it difficult to analyze complex structures. The updated version improves color contrast for better clarity and allows users to customize the color bar style to suit their working environment. Additionally, clearer representation of element connectivity enhances user convenience during modeling and evaluation tasks.

     <ColorBar>                                                <Edge Highlight>

2.2 Expanded Interactive UI

To maximize user convenience, the interactive interface has been significantly expanded. Modeling and measurement functions using mouse controls have been enhanced, and key analysis results can now be viewed in real time directly on the graphic interface. A visual feedback system has also been added to make navigating complex hull structures easier, enabling design engineers to intuitively analyze and review data.

                         <Node Move>                                                       <Input Vector>

2.3 Strengthened Selection Tool

Accurately and efficiently selecting specific elements is critical in hull structure analysis. The precision of the selection tool has been improved, allowing users to select desired areas easily and accurately. Element and member selection speed has been increased, and enhancements to area selection and filtering methods enable users to selectively analyze specific data.

2.4 Enhanced Local Fine Mesh Functionality

To enable more detailed analysis of complex structural members, the local fine mesh function has been significantly upgraded. A new automatic meshing algorithm improves computation speed, while allowing more precise mesh refinement within user-defined areas. Additional shapes and options for local structural analysis have been added, enabling even more detailed evaluations. These improvements optimize analysis performance, even for large-scale models.

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2.5 Application of Latest Rule Revisions

The latest rule revisions from KR have been reflected in SeaTrust-HullScan, enabling more reliable and regulation-compliant structural designs.

- IACS CSR Rec34 Rev2: The latest Common Structural Rules have been applied, allowing users to evaluate design impact based on updated criteria.
- KR Type-B Tank: Standards for LNG carriers and Type-B tank design have been implemented to enhance design safety and reliability.
- KR PCTC: New design guidelines for Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) have also been integrated.

2.6 Other Improvements

Various optimizations have been implemented to enhance overall performance. Modeling and analysis speeds have been improved, and menu structures have been reorganized for a better user experience. System stability and graphic rendering performance have also been upgraded to ensure a smoother working environment.

3. Conclusion

SeaTrust-HullScan has recently undergone a series of upgrades to deliver more precise and efficient structural analysis for ship and offshore design engineers. These enhancements significantly improve user convenience and workflow efficiency. By incorporating the latest design standards, the software ensures more accurate compliance with classification society requirements.

KR remains committed to continuous technological development and incorporating user feedback to further advance SeaTrust-HullScan. Through close Collaboration with shipyards and design engineers, KR aims to revolutionize the design process and provide an even more efficient analysis environment.