TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems, Ground/Sea Vehicles

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 500 ACAT 1

OBJECTIVE: Develop processes and interface tools to enable the bi-directional transfer of product model data between shipbuilders during the design and construction life cycle phases, and the delivery of the as-built product model to the Navy.

DESCRIPTION: Product Model Data is required in different forms throughout the ships life cycle. The identification of relevant data, its transformation, and the validation of the accuracy of the data has proven to be very difficult. The typical process is to create new Product Model Data to support a specific life cycle phase. Over the past twenty years the Naval Sea Systems Command has been involved with shipbuilders and CAD vendors to develop a standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data. This standard, referred to as STEP, has been developed specifically to define product model data required to support design and engineering through the construction phase of the ships life cycle. Unfortunately to date, the portions of the standard developed specifically for the shipbuilding industry have not been used to support a single ship acquisition program. Reasons range from the complexity of the standard to a reluctance by the commercial CAD vendors to develop a complete set of specialized "translators" to support marine industry and Navy data exchange requirements. The lack of a comprehensive process to support the exchange of product model data has already resulted in program delays because the data cannot be provided in either a usable form where it is needed or in a timely fashion. The lack of proper tools requires the use of 2-D drawings due to the inability to obtain 3-D product model data from the shipbuilder.

The commercial CAD vendors support the definition of the geometric component of their product model data using general purpose STEP translators. However, Product Model data includes material properties and system definition in addition to the geometric definition. This topic seeks to develop an innovative process and the associated software tools necessary to enable the delivery of ship product model data. It is critical that an alternative approach to the STEP shipbuilding application protocols be developed to support the definition, and bi-directional transfer of product model data. The current process typically involves the use of the STEP translator associated with the CAD system to exchange geometry resulting in a complete loss of the non-graphical properties that contain product knowledge. This knowledge has to be entered manually on the receiving system causing thousands of hours of labor to be wasted and is a major source of transcription errors. The integration of a STEP geometry translator with an innovative approach to manage the exchange of the product structure and non geometric component of the product model has the potential to greatly reduce the level of effort necessary to transition data developed during the design and construction phases and to eliminate transcription errors. In addition, there is a great potential for an additional benefit to improving the process of integrating the CAD data with shipyard planning and manufacturing processes.

PHASE I: Demonstrate the feasibility of software interface tools that will enable the bi-directional transfer of product model data between shipbuilders during the design and construction life cycle phases, and the delivery of the as-built product model to the Navy. Establish Phase II performance goals and key developmental milestones.

PHASE II: Finalize the design, as appropriate, and demonstrate a working prototype of the proposed system. Perform laboratory tests to validate the performance characteristics established in Phase I. The prototype shall include ships molded surfaces, compartmentation, equipment arrangement, a minimum of three ships structural systems, and a minimum of six ships distributed systems. The ships distributed systems shall include at least one piping system, one HVAC system, and one electrical cableway. The prototype shall include all of the data necessary to run the intact stability and hydrostatic modules of the Ship Hull Characterization Program (SHCP). The prototype shall include all of the data necessary to perform a structural analysis to validate the midship section. Develop a detailed plan and method of implementation into a full-scale application.

PHASE III: Implement the Phase III plan developed in Phase II in coordination with the shipbuilding and repair industry. As applicable, transition the strategy, software, and processes developed for the prototype to multiple ship acquisition programs. This effort may include other target systems in addition to LEAPS, as the strategy should be independent of the Product Model systems.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed under this topic shall be directly applicable to current military and commercial ship design. shipbuilding operations, and repair practices. The products developed should find wide use in the automotive, aerospace and power industry and will be marketable to the shipbuilding and repair industry.

REFERENCES:
1. Kassel, B., & Briggs, T. (2008). An Alternate Approach to the Exchange of Ship Product Model Data. Journal of Ship Production, SNAME, Jersey City, NJ

2. Sullivan, P.E. (2008). SHIP DESIGN AND ANALYSIS TOOL GOALS. Memorandum Ser 05D/047. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C.

3. Young, J.J. (2004). DON POLICY ON DIGITAL PRODUCT/TECHNICAL DATA, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Research Development and Acquisition, Washington D.C.

4. Ames, R. & VanEseltine, T. (2006). Architecture for Multidiscipline Integration of Analyses in a Common Product Model Environment for LHA® Topside. NSWCCD, West Bethesda, MD.

5. US Product Data Association (2001). An American National Standard Product Data Exchange Using STEP Part 214 � Application protocol: Core data for automotive mechanical design processes. International Standard ISO 10303-214:2001, Charleston, SC.

KEYWORDS: Product Model Technology; LEAPS; Ship Design; CAD

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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