The CAD/CAM System As A CentralInformation Source In A ShipbuildingEnvironment

Abstract

In a shipbuilding CAD/CAM system a product model is built up, during the design process, with geometric as well as non-geometric information. This information is used for producing drawings, different kinds of production information (inch NC-information), etc. Information needed for parts lists, production planning, material handling, etc., can be derived from the product model instead of being created manually. The paper discusses important characteristics of a shipbuilding CAD/CAM system. The perspective is the CAD/CAM system as a part of the total information flow within a shipyard. INTRODUCTION Ships and offshore structures are often built in short series or as individual made-to-order products. The high complexity of the products implies an intensive design and planning process, where many tasks have to be performed in parallel. Often, manufacture of one part of the product is going on at the same time as the detailed design of another. The main functions within a shipyard and the information flow between them are illustrated in figure 1. The flow Tendering-Design-Production is the main information flow. The shipbuilding CAD/CAM system deals mainly with this information flow. Planning, Materials, Finance and Follow-Up can be considered service functions created to support the main flow. Transactions on the Built Environment vol 1, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509