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CAD/CAM DESIGN data model and save it to another location. It does this in a cedes that most shipyards use the program. “If we’re work- centralized fashion (from one user interface) that is outside ing with a yard that requires that level of support, we’ll do of the CAD/CAM toolset. that. We also offer it to our clients.”

Getting back to the weight management issue, Larkins The built-in ? exibility of the software is valuable to makes reference to the fact that design mistakes with the cen- ? rms like RAL. Hyslop likes having the ability to add, ter of gravity are more common than one might think as change and move things around during the design phase, there are a plethora of unfortunate examples of delivered ves- knowing that everyone working on the project will see the sels that do not meet that do not meet speed and stability re- same changes in real time. “The worry is if you model only quirements or worse, vessels capsizing during launch or while half a vessel and send parts off to be cut and you ? gure carrying out purpose-built activity such as anchor handling. you want to move something six inches over, if the plates

Obviously, weight estimations are vital in the design have already been cut and welded into place, it will be that process. Interestingly, when it comes to trends in the over- much harder to take things apart and re-weld. If you have all vessel design process, Hyslop reports it hasn’t changed time to do a little advanced engineering up front, you can too much over the years. “Steel is still steel,” he explains. end up with signi? cant time saving down the road.” “The vessels themselves have evolved somewhat signi? - It certainly looks like SSI and RAL’s successful ongoing cantly to be more stable, have better seakeeping abilities, relationship is set to continue well into the future. “We’ve and be more ef? cient and safer to operate. The structure been very happy with the software,” says Hyslop. “It does has become more ef? cient and simpler than in the past as a good job for what we need it to do.” designers have learned to make them stronger and more ef? cient to build.”

Kathy A. Smith is a Victoria, BC-based maritime writer who has penned over 100

Flexible Relationships published trade articles.

Hyslop says that RAL will use ShipConstructor where a shipyard doesn’t have a strong engineering of? ce, but con- 45 www.marinelink.com MN

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