Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2000)

Investment in Design

A model approach from the Swedes

Ever-greater pressures on shipbuilders in terms of time and resource availabili- ty, accentuated by increased project complexity in many spheres of newbuild activity, emphasize the need for well functioning design tools. Efficient data management to support the creation, dis- tribution and handling of design and production information has become a vital factor influencing competitive per- formance.

The latest initiative by the Swedish company Kockums Computer Systems (KCS), in extending its proven Tribon concept to the basic design phase, offers the industry an opportunity to rational- ize and integrate the whole design, engi- neering and manufacturing task from an earlier starting point in the cycle.

KCS is closely attuned to its client market, recognizing the cross-discipline needs of an industry characterized by a high degree of concurrency, and the evolving demands posed by its increased recourse to subcontracting and more distributed ways of working.

The Basic Design module to the Tri- bon Ml design and production system provides the means for evaluating and developing the preliminary structural definition and layouts which can be directly used for subsequent detailed design and preparation of production data, using other Tribon elements. Its introduction denotes the Swedish firm's intention of eventually embracing the entire chain of design and construction, from conceptual design to automated production.

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