Automating the Transition of Product Model Data

The Navy requires access to ship product model data throughout each ship"s life cycle. Despite the development of standards such as STEP for exchanging all shipbuilding design and lifecycle data, CAD and ship design software vendors have not implemented them. The Navy has therefore undertaken initiatives such as this SBIR to make the required data exchange automatic and reliable. In Phase I, ATA demonstrated a software concept that would collect data from ship design tools through their existing text exports or APIs and deposit them in a LEAPS database. LEAPS is the preferred database because the Navy"s analytical codes are integrated with it. Phase II will build on the Phase I approach, resulting in working prototype software that can produce LEAPS databases that satisfy the SBIR solicitation. That states that the entities supported will include ships molded surfaces, compartmentation, equipment arrangement, ships structural systems, and ships distributed systems, including at least one piping system, one HVAC system, and one electrical cableway. The prototype must include all data necessary to run the intact stability and hydrostatic modules of the Ship Hull Characterization Program (SHCP). The prototype will also include data necessary to perform a structural analysis to validate the midship section.