AITEM PRESENTS ITS NEW SECTIONS: INJOIN

INJOIN, the new AITEM Section on joining techniques for shipbuilding.

Among the new AITEM Sections, INJOIN focuses on new joining techniques applicable to shipbuilding. It arises from the need for innovation within a sector characterised by the want of a higher technological level, by production methods which are often traditional, and by the need for innovation in terms of management, particularly for small businesses.

This need is reflected by the 3-year Action Plan of the Blue Italian Growth (BIG) National Technological Cluster, published in 2019, which underlines the actions to be taken to develop the sustainable, safe, connected, and autonomous ship of the future, such as studying and introducing high-performance materialsor reducing the wight of structures; these actions imply adopting both new shipbuilding techniques and new alternative connection techniques to welding.

The Section proponents are the academic coordinator Guido Di Bella and Chiara Borsellino from the University of Messina, Gianluca Buffa from the University of Palermo, Michela Simoncini from the University eCampus, ArchimedeForcellese from the University Politecnicadelle Marche, the industrial coordinator Simone Panfigliofrom theNAVTEC Technological District, Maurizio Vecchio fromCaronte& Tourist SpAand Michele Sferrazza from IntermarineSpA.

After the initial phase of branding and networking, the Section will organise educational events in collaboration with the AITEM Academy.

In particular, the Section intends to organise, within the AITEM Academy, an educational event on bimetallic connection systems for high-performance ships, an educational event for companies on the application of Friction Stir Welding to shipbuilding, and a workshop for companies on innovative joining systems for connecting multi-materialships.

Moreover, the Section will apply forthe research event BorsadellaRicerca, taking place in Salerno in October, and will contribute to the Manuthon and Open Innovation events organised by AITEM.

The Section aims at being the national point of reference for shipbuilding, creating active and effective dynamics for meeting, debating, interacting, and integrating.

 

Example of joint for naval applications: a single-lap connection between an AA5083 H111 aluminium alloy plate used for shipbuilding and a S355J0 steel plate by Fincantieri though friction stir welding, realised by the German company Riftec GmbH within the project PON R&I Thalassa.