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Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) of Vancou- ver, Canada has been a leader in CADCAM vessel design software for nearly 25 years. Originally con- ceived for the monohull, ASC software is now used for designing all types of marine vessels - from con- ventional hull forms to oil rigs.

In the early 1980s, PCs were beginning to have respectable computing power at a relatively affordable price. This situation encouraged Grahame Shannon of

Vancouver, Canada to develop his idea of designing vessels on the PC-platform. Soon Shannon had many naval architects knocking at his door. His design soft- ware, called Autoship, had apparently made the vessel designer's life a lot easier. Before long Shannon had to hire employees and move his business, Coastdesign

Inc., out of his basement.

Coastdesign Inc. quickly built its reputation as a

CAD software specialist. Dealerships were estab- lished in key maritime countries, such that by the late 1980s the company had a strengthened position among the PC-based CAD software suppliers around the world. Coastdesign had, by this time, licensed and developed analysis tools to complement Autoship.

These new software tools comprised: AutoPlex (for designing with developable surfaces); Autoplate (for plate expansion); GHS (for stability and longitudinal strength analysis); and Autopower (for resistance cal- culations and powering estimation). A total CAD solu- tion, whereby software could be used to take the ves- sel design completely around the design spiral, had emerged.

Now was the time to tie the design process with ves- sel construction, a link between vessel design and construction that was made in two steps.

First, Autobuild - an internal structural modeling program was developed. Second, AutoNC, a nesting and cut-file generation program, was licensed. Now, parts created in the Autoship CAD suite could be exported using standard dxf file format to AutoNC for part nesting and cutting. The CAD programs also advanced, with Autoplex being integrated into Auto- ship, and GHS being replaced by Autohydro. The company, now called Autoship Systems Corporation, had a complete CADCAM software product line.

The First Autoship CADCAM Suite

Since these early days, Autoship Systems continued

January, 2005 • MarineNews 25

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