Smart shipbuilding
The digital transformation driving efficiency and sustainability at Navantia.
Automation and data for efficient production
industrial transformation
technologies
Technology solutions
Advanced engineering innovation centre
End‑to‑end digitalisation of the naval environment
Innovation applied to continuous improvement
Navantia’s Smart Factory is a cyber‑physical environment that brings together all the digital capabilities needed to achieve operational excellence by designing and manufacturing products and services in a differentiated, efficient and sustainable way.
The Smart Factory achieves efficiency and sustainability through automation, robotics and digitalisation, continuously optimising processes with analytics‑ and AI‑driven simulation. It acts across the entire value chain, simplifying operations, reorganising resources and supporting decision‑making to adapt to a flexible environment without sacrificing efficiency. It is implemented through process re‑engineering, driving innovation with enabling technologies and transforming human capabilities to meet new challenges.
Flagship programmes
These flagship programmes roll out operational excellence across Navantia, reflecting the company’s vision for all its sites and processes. Navantia has defined four programmes, covering key shipbuilding processes and the future model for its factories. To support the substantial innovation required, Navantia has established the CIR (Innovation and Robotics Centre).
The Digital Block Factory in Ferrol
DBF is a flagship programme that covers the full process of preparation, steel processing, sub‑block and block formation and pre‑outfitting for the ships built at the Frigates and Intervention Vessels Business in Ferrol. It incorporates an automated line for manufacturing panels and open units, featuring robotics with hybrid laser welding, AGVs for internal movements and robotic cranes for moving intermediate products. Designed using simulation tools, it lays the groundwork for a digital twin that will manage data from IT and OT networks and from a SCADA system. It also includes a robotic cell for pre‑assembled bulkheads and robots for weld inspection, dimensional control and painting, eliminating systematic pickling and enabling robotic surface treatment and inspection in clean environments.
The Flat Open Units Workshop in San Fernando
The Flat Open Units Workshop is a fully automated processing workshop with a manufacturing line for panels and open units. This line is similar to the one installed in the DBF and includes hybrid laser welding. Like the DBF, this workshop was designed using simulation tools, which will also underpin the configuration and deployment of the plant and process digital twin. This twin will operate using process data collected from the IT and OT networks, as well as plant data exploited via a SCADA system.
The Flat Panels Line in Puerto Real
The FPL is a fully automated workshop integrating a manufacturing line for panels and open units, similar to the one at the DBF, with hybrid laser welding. Designed with simulation tools, it establishes the basis for a digital twin that manages data from IT and OT networks and a SCADA system. It is also prepared to process steel for substations.
The Engine Factory in Cartagena
Digital management and control tools have been implemented in the Engine Factory, covering digital planning and administration, automation and RPA. Analytics and AI have been deployed for load balancing, root cause analysis and smart material management.
Roadmap towards the Smart Factory
Navantia is advancing towards the Smart Factory through three perspectives and six lines of action. The enabling perspective lays the foundations for digitalisation by defining the IoT architecture, standardising digital tools, and connecting and integrating these solutions.
Navantia’s Innovation and Robotics Centre in Ferrol
The CIR is an innovation centre whose main goal is to deploy and test digital solutions in a pre‑industrial environment before rolling them out to shipyards and factories. The CIR also designs, builds and validates robotic solutions that require dedicated innovation projects ahead of industrial deployment.
Benefits of the Smart Factory
Navantia’s Smart Factory is fully aligned with the company’s strategic sustainability goals. Improving process and product quality directly reduces rework, which, in turn, lowers material and energy consumption and minimises waste generation. Process re‑engineering has also eliminated redundant activities – such as the shop‑priming process at DBF – with a direct impact on emissions, energy use and raw material consumption. The Smart Factory is the driving force behind standardised design solutions and manufacturing processes.
A revolution in the workplace
Automation makes it possible to move away from arduous or high‑exposure tasks, improving workers’ health, quality of life and productivity. The Smart Factory provides a platform for incorporating new specialist disciplines, promoting the technical upskilling of the workforce and ongoing improvement.
Health improvements
and better quality of life for workers
Higher productivity
driven by automation
More specialised work
and continuous improvement
Innovation projects
Driving technology through industrial innovation projects.
