This study presents the development of a 3D vision–based quality inspection platform applied to Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHE) and Shell & Plate heat exchangers (SPHE), which are among the core components of LNG carrier systems. The proposed system aims to overcome the limitations of conventional manual inspection methods and to establish a standardized inspection framework compliant with international quality standards. The inspection performance and economic feasibility were analyzed through a comparative evaluation before and after system implementation. As a result, the average inspection time was reduced by more than 60%, and the time required for report generation decreased by 95%. The defect detection rate improved from 79.2% to 96.4%, and the rework rate decreased from 6.1% to 1.3%. Economic analysis confirmed an annual cost reduction of approximately KRW 44 million, with an ROI of 32.5% and a BEP of 3.06 years. Furthermore, the system demonstrated conformity with international standards including ISO 19087, ISO 9001, and classification society regulations (KR, ABS, DNV, LR). This study not only verified the applicability of 3D vision inspection in the shipbuilding equipment manufacturing process but also provided an empirical foundation for smart factory transformation and 3D-based quality management in small and medium-sized shipbuilding industry.
Choi et al. (Sat,) studied this question.