SBIR-STTR Award

Develop a system that uses ShipConstructor and NEiNastran as the basis for analysis to determine optimum lifting and handling methods for panel, sub-assemblies and assemblies to reduce or eliminate distortion (both permanent plastic set and temporary elastic deformation).

Benefit:
Currently this work is being done by 1 to 2 full time lifting, turning and and handling engineers at every shipyard in the world. Many of the smaller shipboard components do not get analyzed at all and the result is distortion which causes more time and labor to properly install. We anticipate eliminating 70 % of the man-hours now consumed for the calculation activity and a 10-20% reduction in fitup time due to better distortion control. The reduced calculation time will improve throughput and cycle time, reducing overall cost to build.

Keywords:
on-board component loading/lifting, automation of distortion testing, distortion control., Shipbuilding, handling, lifting, reduction or elimination of on board component re-work, time and expense savings, re-configuration of load/pick-up points

Noran-Land Engineering Corp. was awarded a NAVSEA SBIR Phase I project under Topic N05.3-154 “ShipLift” on February 9, 2006 with a project duration through August 7, 2006. The objective of this project is to develop an analysis, design and simulation tool that will allow shipbuilders to mitigate distortion of components and assemblies that is caused during lifting, handling and interim storage evolutions. In addition, the tool will decrease cycle time and manhours associated with lifting and handling calculations. The tool will interface directly with ship design software, run using automated finite element and other calculation methods, and provide shipbuilders with calculated lift points, recommended rigging procedures, and analysis of the effects of various storage and transportation methods. The Phase I research demonstrated the feasibility of merging ShipConstructor product modeling technology with NEi NASTRAN finite element analysis capability. A prototype project was run through the complete lifting scenario and the problems and potential solutions for full development of the ShipLift application were identified.

Keywords:
Ship,Design,Lift,Distortion,Fea,Noran,Shipconstructor,Assembly