Ship Blasting Training with VR... Hanwha Ocean Develops World's First

Leading Safe Workplaces

Hanwha Ocean has developed the world's first ship blasting training program using virtual reality (VR). This is another achievement following the VR-based painting training program.

On the 23rd, Hanwha Ocean announced that it had developed ‘RealBLAST,’ a blasting training program using virtual reality. Blasting is an essential pre-treatment process to ensure quality, such as removing rust from steel plates before applying paint.

The RealBLAST developed by Hanwha Ocean enables blasting training in a virtual space that faithfully reproduces the shape of the ship block without physically climbing onto the actual ship block.

With this program development, Hanwha Ocean has become the first in the world to implement a VR-based training program covering all processes of ship painting.

Currently, the Geoje plant is utilizing the painting training program ‘RealSPRAY.’ This is expected to enable the realization of a smart and safe workplace.

A Hanwha Ocean official said, “With advanced technology like virtual reality being applied to manufacturing sites, various training sessions can be conducted without restrictions of time and space. Through this, we will create a safe and eco-friendly smart shipyard.”

A Hanwha Ocean employee is receiving VR blasting job training using 'RealBLAST' at the VR Painting Training Center within the Geoje plant.
[Photo by Hanwha Ocean]

‘RealBLAST’ maximizes user immersion by stimulating the five senses?visual, tactile, auditory, etc.?in a way close to real situations, by spraying compressed air from equipment used in actual blasting.

Ship blasting and painting work are very important factors that determine the lifespan of a ship. If ship painting is not properly done, the ship’s surface easily corrodes, so it is no exaggeration to say that the lifespan of a ship is decided at the fingertips of painting workers. Securing skilled workers through job training is very important.

‘RealSPRAY,’ developed in 2021, halved the job training period, which used to take one year for practical deployment. The newly developed ‘RealBLAST’ is also expected to have the same effect, enabling the securing of skilled workers in a short period.

Hanwha Ocean operates various training programs using virtual reality. In addition to job training programs like ‘RealSPRAY,’ implemented since 2021, it is enhancing not only the creation of a safe working environment but also customer satisfaction through ‘VR Safety Training’ and ‘VR Seafarer Training System.’

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.