AUTOSTRUCTURE, The New Internal
Structural Design Program From Autoship
Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) is pleased to announce
that they are developing a totally new ship structural
design program, Autostructure. It will run on NT
4 or Windows 2000 workstations, with NT Server 4 or Windows
2000 to host large networks. The program will be launched
in stages, with release of the first stage expected for
June 2000.
For 2d editing of flat parts, and for drawing production,
ASC chose AutoCAD 2000. Given that AutoCAD is already
used in many ship design operations, ASC feels that
incorporation of AutoCAD 2000 will be viewed as another
advantage of Autostructure. Shipyard staff will
not need to be trained on a new 2d drawing software;
training costs will be reduced accordingly.
An important new technology, Microsoft's Common Object
Model (COM), is being used extensively to support a
strongly object-oriented program structure, and to programmatically
transfer data among Autoship (ASC's hull modeling
program), Autostructure and AutoCAD.
For use in engineering offices and shipyards, a structural
design suite must provide both design of components
and their tracking through the design and construction
process. This means that there must be a database system
underlying the whole program collection. For this purpose
ASC has chosen Microsoft's SQL Server 7 (or MSDN). This
is a modern, robust relational system capable of storing
very large quantities of data. SQL Server, unlike some
other database programs, such as Access, is designed
to work well in a client-server configuration in which
many users at workstations access one database on a
network server. SQL Server 7 also has the advantage
that for small workgroups (up to four) the software
is freely distributed. The system will be 3-tiered.
Among other tasks, the middle tier will ensure the synchronization
of part changes in all clients.
Autostructure is designed from the start to
be localizable. Creating versions for other languages
and locales will be a relatively easy task.
Autostructure will save the vessel designer
time. Where possible the program carries out multiple
operations from one set of user input. This is well
exemplified in the Global Design module, where in one
session large numbers of flat parts fitted to the hull,
to existing parts and to one another. Automatic trimming
and fitting is supported where possible. Sets of operations
edited into one assembly can be automatically reproduced
on other assemblies, even when overall dimensions differ
within small ranges.
For more details contact info@autoship.com
or your nearest authorized Autoship Systems Dealer.
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