Product Data Exchange to Support Modeling and Simulation

Abstract

Successful and efficient exchange of product model data has been a major challenge in the shipbuilding industry for the past two decades. The Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data (STEP) has been developed to enable this capability. Four STEP application protocols (APs) to facilitate the exchange of structural and distributed systems models in shipbuilding were completed in 2003 and were adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) by mid-2004. In August 2003, ISO 10303–216: Ship Moulded Forms (AP216) became the first shipbuilding STEP AP to be published as an international standard. Participants involved in these efforts represent several major US shipyards, the Navy, and their computer-aided design/ engineering (CAD/CAE) vendors. The thrust of shipbuilding data exchange efforts has now shifted from development to implementation. This paper will report on efforts to develop and use translators for this AP to exchange hull form product data in the ship modeling and simulation arena. In addition, process simulation is becoming common in the design of new ships to validate that the design meets the customer's specifications. Current technology requires that the ship be modeled both in the computer-aided design (CAD) environment and then repeated in the simulation workbench. Not only is this effort inefficient, but it is inherently error prone. Through the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP)-sponsored Integrated Shipbuilding Environment (ISE) projects, we have developed tool sets that use AP227: Plant Spatial Configuration to permit the design to flow smoothly from the CAD workbench to the simulation workbench. This paper summarizes the efforts to develop and use a suite of tools that enables US shipyards to become more productive. It details the specific successes in using AP216 and AP227 for modeling and simulation, as well as efforts to exchange design data electronically between CAD systems. The report also outlines efforts that are underway to use other APs to successfully exchange data describing ship electrical; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC); and controls systems.