The Shipdex protocol, as already known, consists of two specifications derived from international aerospace and defence standards: S1000D (www.s1000d.org) and S5000F (www.s5000f.org).

Shipdex-D (technical manuals) and Shipdex-F (in-service maintenance data feedback) are designed to work together and provide the following benefits:

• For manufacturers: the ability to provide customers with technical manuals (maintenance plans, catalogues and more) in a structured, standardized, and mandatory electronic format (Shipdex-D).
• For customers: the ability to import manufacturers’ data in Shipdex-D format into their ERP and Maintenance Systems, and to export in-service maintenance data feedback in Shipdex-F format.

Data in Shipdex-D and Shipdex-F formats can be merged into a database, providing customers and suppliers with a standardized way to analyse how, when, and what results are achieved when performing maintenance tasks onboard different ships.

The new Shipdex Viewer 4.0 (available free of charge on the homepage at www.shipdex.org) now includes a Proof of Concept that demonstrates the simplicity and potential of the aforementioned features, using a simple database embedded into the Viewer.

The following illustration shows one of the several features available in the PoC.

This illustration shows, among other important details, how many times (each row), when (execution time), which spare parts (and supply, etc.) have been used, and on which ship (IMO number) the same maintenance task (subject) on the same equipment (item name and item PN and SN) has been performed. Many other features are also available in Shipdex Viewer 4.0.

Visit www.shipdex.org for further information on Shipdex and its initiatives, or to download the Viewer and experience the Proof of Concept.