SBIR-STTR Award

This project will evaluate the feasibility of developing software to address the following problems: (1) analysis, simulation, design and planning of surface preparation and coating of ships, (2) integrating statistical accuracy and distortion prediction into the design and planning process, (3) automatic extraction of weld planning data from CAD databases, and (4) integration of automatic planning and design tools with the popular ShipConstructor package. The tools are intended to generate accurate coating material and labor estimates and will interface with existing systems for estimating, material ordering, and scheduling. An existing automatic planning and design for producability tool, SmartPlan-ShipsT, will be used as the framework for development of this new software capability. To address the needs of a number of U.S. shipyards, an interface will be designed to allow the SmartPlan-ShipsT automatic design and planning software tools to interoperate with the ShipConstructor software package. A working prototype will be developed in Phase I for piping

This project evaluated the feasibility of developing software to address the following problems: (1) analysis, simulation, design and planning of insulation, surface preparation, and coating of ships, and (2) integration of automatic planning and design tools with the popular Ship Constructor CAD package. Tools to support estimating and planning of shipboard surface preparation and coating have not kept pace with computer-based design practices and just-in-time manufacturing requirements. The result is higher than necessary ship construction costs. For Naval vessels, a large number of surfaces must be covered with thermal and/or acoustic insulation. This requires additional more specialized tools to support estimating and planning. Small yards cannot afford to pay for custom software integration. In order to bring the benefits of automatic construction planning software to small yards, this project proposes to interface the popular low cost ShipConstructor AutoCAD based package with SmartPlan-Ships, an automatic planning and design detailing software engine for ship outfitting. ShipConstructor is used by most second tier shipyards in the U.S., and by a number of yards worldwide. ShipConstructor is also being used by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems on the Coast Guard deep-water program and is being used on the LCS program.

Benefit:
Benefits from the use of these new tools will include reduced construction cost through best use of automated surface preparation and coating facilities, better accessibility for manual work, and reduction of rework through better scheduling of hot work. Taken together, these enabling technologies will have a quick payback. Estimated savings to the U.S. shipbuilding industry from the application of these tools is estimated to be as follows: surface preparation and coating tools $780,000/year, automatic planning tools for smaller yards $1,080,000 per year. All U.S. Naval and commercial shipyards are potential customers for the insulation and surface treatment planning tools. The ShipConstructor interface to these tools and to the automatic outfitting planning engine will benefit the Navy LCS program and second tier US commercial shipbuilders, most of whom use ShipConstructor now. The CVN21 program at Northrop Grumman Newport News is expected to put the insulation and surface treatment planning tools into production use as soon as they are released.

Keywords:
Automation, ShipConstructor, Insulation, Design for producability, surface treatment, coating, Planning