Speed at Sea, October 2003 issue

Intersection Design and Baglietto Shipyards innovate production technology using ShipConstructor for AutoCAD.


In early 2003, Baglietto Shipyards, the prominent Italian yacht builder, contracted Intersection Design of France to develop the industrialization of yacht production at its yard, using ShipConstructor for AutoCAD as the principal modeling and production software tool. Based on Intersection Design's specific experience, the aim was to migrate and adapt methods, approaches and techniques used in industrial mass production to the mega yacht-specific one-off building world. The exercise has since culminated in the very successful completion of the hull, deck and superstructure of a new 30m+, 45kt+, very fast super-yacht concept.

The cross-disciplinary scope of the work was to involve all concerned departments. Planning & review meetings were held regularly, using the ShipConstructor 3D product solid model including BuildStrategy and integrated relational database as the base for discussion. ShipConstructor proved instrumental in the success of the project, thanks to the concurrent engineering environment it offers: design, modeling and production took place concurrently, with unprecedented overlapping schedules.
The ShipConstructor 3D macroscopic solid model was built first, for design review and validation. The unique macro-parts modeling method was developed and pioneered by Intersection Design to successfully implement ShipConstructor’s production capabilities into the initial design stages. Design files from several different modeling and CAD programs (FastShip, Rhino3D, Microstation, etc.) were brought together and used as the base for building the design model.

The ShipConstructor model was then detailed for production with data and elements pertinent to the actual building, yielding the initial build strategy. This included taking into account production methods and processes, and providing for jigs, cradles, weld shrinkage of dissimilar building units, optimization of assembly and assembly jigging, topological control (quality control matrix), material order & delivery, and NC cutting timetables. Actual production modeling and NC cutting began at a very early stage, yet design and production schedule changes were easily accommodated throughout the building period. The planning and production flexibility made possible by ShipConstructor allowed the design and production departments to address owner requested changes and to deal with the complexity of very unusual and delicate design issues, plus the unavoidable but unforeseen situations with no delay in the production schedule. Of course, implementing this new approach to production required that all involved be made aware of the new possibilities, that each department make use of communication software tools, and that an open mind, cross-disciplinary brain storming attitude be encouraged, developed and shared.
Other programs used were the collaborative reviewing NavisWorks (also in combination with the Fly-Through module of ShipConstructor), and an open-exchange distributed internet data repository (a simple addition to any standard web site). The use of the same powerful and flexible tool in the various departments, access to all information at all times and the integrated environment were key factors in the successful completion of this project. Having more than fulfilled expectations, the exercise is being repeated, and the approach, methods and techniques developed for the yacht at hand will now be further evolved and employed in the series production of a much larger unit, using the new ShipConstructor2004, with an initial target of 30% resource savings on a production run of 2 units per year.

The ShipConstructor software suite is developed by Albacore Research Ltd., Canada. For more information, please contact Mr. Rolf Oetter, President, Albacore Research Ltd., +1-250-479 3638, sales@ShipConstructor.com, www.ShipConstructor.com.

For more information on Intersection Design, please contact Intersection Design, France, on +33-4-9291 0169, intersection@compuserve.com, www-intersection-design.com.

Europe, Middle East, Russia: For more information on ShipConstructor, please contact Nick Danese at Design Systems & Technologies, France, on +33-4-9291 1324, ds-t@ds-t.com,
www.ds-t.com.
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