Siemens Xcelerator Selected by HD Hyundai to Power Global Digital Shipyard Transformation and Unified Digital Twin Platform
Siemens Xcelerator Selected by HD Hyundai to Power Global Digital Shipyard Transformation and Unified Digital Twin Platform
Synopsis- HD Hyundai has selected Siemens Xcelerator to create a unified digital shipbuilding platform connecting design, engineering, and production globally.
- The system will establish a continuous digital thread, eliminating long-standing data gaps between ship design and manufacturing processes.
- Digital twin, industrial metaverse, and AI-driven simulation capabilities will enhance planning, efficiency, and lifecycle management across shipyards.
HD Hyundai has chosen Siemens Xcelerator as the technological foundation for a comprehensive digital shipbuilding platform spanning its worldwide shipyard operations, marking a significant step in the company’s long-term transformation strategy. According to reporting by IT Brief Asia, the initiative forms part of HD Hyundai’s broader “Future of Shipyard” programme, which aims to modernise shipbuilding workflows and establish fully integrated digital processes across its global network by 2030.
The programme is being led through HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), the group’s intermediary holding entity, which selected Siemens to deploy the platform across its shipbuilding facilities. The system is designed to provide a unified digital backbone capable of managing the complete lifecycle of shipbuilding, from early-stage engineering design to production execution and operational deployment.
Historically, shipbuilders have relied on separate software environments for engineering and manufacturing, creating structural gaps between design data and physical production. These disconnects have often resulted in inefficiencies, delays, and data inconsistencies. HD Hyundai stated that the new Siemens platform will address these structural limitations by creating a consistent digital environment, enabling seamless coordination between engineering and manufacturing teams while improving operational precision.
“The selection of Siemens Xcelerator represents an important milestone in advancing HD KSOE’s digital shipbuilding strategy,” said Taejin Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Innovation Office at HD Hyundai. He explained that establishing a unified digital platform will ensure continuity across design and production workflows, addressing long-standing challenges related to fragmented data and enabling more coordinated shipyard operations. Lee added that the initiative is expected to improve efficiency, strengthen project execution capabilities, and enhance competitiveness across HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding operations globally.
Siemens confirmed that its collaboration with HD Hyundai began in 2022, focusing on advancing next-generation shipbuilding technologies and developing integrated digital engineering and manufacturing systems. Tony Hemmelgarn, President and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software, stated that Siemens Xcelerator provides an open digital business platform capable of connecting systems and standardising data sharing across complex industrial environments.
“Since 2022, Siemens’ collaboration with HD Hyundai has been focused on the future of shipbuilding and the development of next-generation digital design and production platforms,” Hemmelgarn said. He noted that Siemens Xcelerator, combined with the company’s digital twin technologies, is positioned to enable a unified digital thread linking design, engineering, and manufacturing. He added that Siemens aims to support HD Hyundai in building a scalable and future-ready manufacturing platform that enhances operational performance while supporting sustainable growth.
At the core of the deployment is what HD Hyundai describes as the “Integrated Platform for Ship Design-Production Consistency,” which will create a continuous digital flow of information throughout the shipbuilding process. Design systems and production environments will be connected in real time through a shared data infrastructure, helping to eliminate inefficiencies caused by incomplete or misaligned information.
The architecture integrates multiple technical domains, including computer-aided design, product lifecycle management, digital manufacturing, automation, and simulation systems. By consolidating these functions into a single unified environment, engineering and production teams will gain a shared operational view, enabling more accurate planning, streamlined execution, and improved coordination.
The platform will also enable virtual validation of shipyard activities before physical implementation begins. HD Hyundai stated that planning, construction, expansion, and modification scenarios can be simulated digitally, allowing teams to assess potential outcomes and reduce operational risks prior to real-world execution.
As part of the transformation, HD Hyundai plans to expand its use of model-based engineering to enhance collaboration across departments. Critical production data, including block assembly specifications, welding parameters, piping configurations, and electrical system details, will be consolidated within integrated 3D digital models. This approach is intended to improve design accuracy, enable more efficient production planning, and support consistent shop-floor processes across multiple shipyard locations.
The platform will support a wide range of vessel types, including commercial ships and specialised vessels. In addition to engineering and production functions, it will also enable equipment and component lifecycle tracking, digital performance analysis, maintenance engineering, and technical support frameworks linked to shipbuilding projects conducted internationally.
Alongside the deployment of Siemens Xcelerator, HD Hyundai is developing what it describes as an industrial metaverse-based digital environment, creating virtual representations of ships and shipyard operations. According to IT Brief Asia, the initiative incorporates digital twin technology to enable immersive simulation, collaboration, and operational decision-making.
The company also plans to apply physical artificial intelligence in complex production environments, using reinforcement learning trained on synthetic datasets within virtual learning environments powered by Siemens digital twin systems. Siemens Digital Twin Composer is expected to play a key role in enabling these industrial metaverse environments, supporting advanced simulation, operational planning, and workforce training capabilities.
Implementation of the platform will take place in phases, with initial deployment scheduled to begin in 2026. HD Hyundai expects the system to begin supporting operational vessels by 2028, representing a major shift toward fully digitalised shipbuilding operations supported by integrated digital twin technology, real-time data synchronisation, and AI-enhanced manufacturing processes.
Source: IT Brief Asia – Have a Story? Address it to the Editor and submit it here
About Siemens
Siemens AG is a global technology company headquartered in Germany, focused on industrial automation, digital transformation, smart infrastructure, mobility, and digital engineering solutions. Through its Siemens Digital Industries Software division, the company provides advanced software platforms that support product lifecycle management, simulation, automation, and digital twin technology. Siemens Xcelerator, its open digital business platform, enables organisations to integrate engineering, manufacturing, and operational systems into unified digital ecosystems. The platform supports industrial innovation by connecting hardware, software, and services, allowing companies to accelerate digital transformation and improve operational performance. Siemens digital twin technology enables virtual modelling, simulation, and optimisation of real-world assets, helping industries improve efficiency, sustainability, and decision-making. The company serves customers across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, energy, transportation, infrastructure, and shipbuilding, supporting global enterprises in building intelligent, data-driven industrial operations.
Featured image Source: Naval Technology
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