Page 34: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2004)

65»' Anniversary Edition

Evolution of Computerization From 2D CAD to the Integrated Product Model

One of the most important improvements in ship production has been the intro- duction of CAD/CAM. The initial use of computers for drafting, lofting and automation of steel cutting has been extended from the design office and the mold loft throughout the shipyard and beyond by integrating the Internet, sophisticated database applications and enterprise management software to rad- ically improve the entire shipbuilding process. However, the result of this, the

Integrated Ship Product Model, is poised to revolutionize ship manage- ment and maintenance throughout its lifecycle.

The Problem With Ships

Boats and ships differ from most other objects because they are formed of arbi- trary curved surfaces instead of well- defined assemblies of geometric shapes.

Manufacturing and hydrodynamics also requires that these shapes be "fair", smooth and free from any sudden changes in curvature. Traditionally, ships were designed using orthographic drafting and wooden splines and weights. Surface contours drawn in var-

Advances in computerization allow boats and ships to be designed, built and sent on sea- trials before the first piece of steel is even ordered. redrawn, refaired ious views were laboriously resolved to develop a consistent surface. Then structure, machinery and other compo- nents were designed, and flotation, weight, structural and hydrodynamic calculations were done.

However, due to the large change in scale, the design drawings were not accurate enough to actually make parts that fit, so "laying down and picking up" was required. The hull surface was and laboriously resolved view to view at full scale, usu- ally on a whitewashed floor in a loft, hence the term "lofting". Loftsmen developed patterns for piece parts and rolled and curved plates and made full size templates to hand cut and form parts. All of this represented a great deal of labor and schedule time.

Ships are also very complicated objects. They contain miles of pipe and wire, ductwork, furnishings, large spe- cialized machinery and perhaps even weapons systems. Virtually all engi- neering disciplines are involved in ship design. Even a small tug has piping for fuel oil, lube oil, seawater cooling, bilge water, oil contaminated bilge water, engine exhaust, fresh water, sewage, compressed air, hydraulics, and carbon dioxide and seawater for fire fighting. It also has ventilation ducting, AC and DC electrical systems, two locomotives worth of engines, gears and shafting and a small apartment/office/shop complex for the crew. A naval combatant is prob- ably the most complex product ever manufactured: The drawings for a nuclear submarine weigh more than the vessel itself. Coordinating all of these parts so that a ship can be outfitted on schedule in very tight, oddly shaped spaces is a major challenge.

The computer first revolutionized the surface design lofting, and cutting processes. In 1962 the first computer programs were under development to automate this costly effort. By the late 70's several mainframe based large sys- tems, notably STEERBEAR, were

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A) First report of Ship

Model Basin at "55 Washington Navy Yard issued by Naval |Z Constructor David W.

A) Taylor who designed the •C basin.

More than 1,000 people die when the steamship

General Slocum burst into flames while moving up the East River in

New York

White Star Line's "unsinkable" Titanic strikes an iceberg on its maiden voy- age and sinks, killing 1,513.

Navy establishes

North Atlantic Ice

Patrol following RMS

Titanic disaster

Keel laying at Newport

News, VA of USS

Ranger (CV-4), first ship designed and con- structed as an aircraft carrier.

Prototype shipboard radar, designed and built by the Naval

Research Laboratory, is installed on USS

New York (BB-34). 34 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News