SSI and Auros Knowledge Systems are working on a National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) project to create a bi-directional linkage between SSI’s ShipConstructor software and the Auros Knowledge Management System. The partnership between the two companies is natural since ShipConstructor is the most common CAD/CAM software used to design and engineer US Navy ships. Auros is a leader in its own right, with extensive experience in providing knowledge management systems in other industries.
The problem being addressed is the ability to manage the enormous complexity involved in ship design and engineering. Dealing with this complexity is such a challenge that, according to time studies done for the NSRP, only 16% of a shipyard engineer’s time is spent on value-added activities. Instead, a significant portion of an engineer’s time is spent trying to locate, manage, filter, vet, and validate useful information. Collection and storage of knowledge within bookshelves, databases, and spreadsheets are not enough; information needs to be provided to designers within the context of what they are working on.
The solution is to implement an active knowledge management and delivery system, as has been proven in other industries such as automotive design. The proposed system will use a smart connector between ShipConstructor and Auros which will automatically provision technical knowledge to CAD designers and engineers within the engineering design processes.
“We are very excited to be teaming up with SSI, a technology leader in ship design and construction,” said Greg Burek, Director of Emerging Accounts at Auros. “The development of this connector will allow Auros Knowledge Systems to extend its knowledge provisioning capability to the shipbuilding industry, providing the same efficiency and effortless recall already utilized in other major manufacturing industries.”
In practice, this means that as an engineer is working within SSI’s ShipConstructor software, Auros software will be communicating in the background. Auros will know what rules apply for a specific scenario and the system will communicate non-compliances in the design with a red indicator. The designer will then be able to call up more information or override the supposed non-compliance. This data will then be able to be reviewed by management who could update rules, if appropriate.
This project is a natural fit for SSI, according to Pat Roberts, Director of Operations for SSI USA. He says, “With ShipConstructor software, SSI prides itself on providing modelers with a powerful tool to enable efficient ship construction. The NSRP Knowledge Provisioning project is an extension of this concept. Not only will it increase efficiency and quality in the yard, it will make the design and engineering phase itself more productive.”
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About Auros Knowledge Systems
Auros Knowledge Systems is the leading enterprise solution for a fundamentally new approach to managing technical knowledge, through Knowledge Aware Engineering. With over 36,000 active global users, Auros is delivering knowledge in the flow-of-work for major corporations in the automotive, aerospace & defense, consumer products, heavy manufacturing, and high-tech / electronics industries. To learn more about Auros Knowledge Systems, visit www.AurosKS.com.
About SSI
SSI develops Autodesk based solutions for the shipbuilding and offshore industry including: ShipConstructor software, an AutoCAD based CAD/CAM product line; and EnterprisePlatform, a tool for sharing product data model information. SSI solutions take advantage of the native DWG platform and the global pools of experience provided by the world’s most popular CAD platform. To learn more about SSI, visit www.SSI-Corporate.com.