Case Study: DOCAN achieves faster FPSO retrofit re-certification with Hexagon MSC Apex

MSC Apex enables a rapid retrofit of an FPSO vessel without CAD geometry

DOCAN, a UK-based engineering consultancy, was tasked with validating a structural retrofit for an FPSO vessel but faced a significant challenge. The starting point was an 'orphaned' finite element mesh file that was decades old, with no underlying CAD geometry. Rebuilding the model from scratch would have been extremely time-consuming. To solve this, the vendor Hexagon provided its MSC Apex software.

Using the "Geometry from Mesh" toolset in Hexagon's MSC Apex, engineers reverse-engineered the needed geometry from the existing mesh, allowing them to efficiently modify the model to create a new deck penetration. This solution drastically reduced workflow time and accelerated the re-certification process, as only the modified section required review. This provided a major cost benefit for the end client and secured repeat business for DOCAN.

DOCAN

Richard Carroll

Technical Director