Large Scale Computer Simulation Modeling System

Objective:

Develop and deploy a yard-wide computer simulation modeling system that will enable analyses of the effects of current and new ship production work on the shipyard’s operations.

Summary:

This project developed and deployed a yard-wide computer simulation modeling system to enable analyses of the effects of current and new ship production work on the shipyard’s operations. This project is innovative in that the yard-wide perspective of the modeling system provides an advantage over current simulations that are typically focused on individual work centers or processes. The new system also supports a broad user base of planners, managers and analysts rather than a small group of highly trained specialists. The system includes: (1) a yard-wide simulation model application, (2) user utilities to easily define facilities, schedules, processes/routings and interim products, and (3) automated links to product design and planning/scheduling data. The completed project produced a fully implemented system at GD NASSCO. Benefits include the reduction of time and cost to analyze how new ship production programs impact production demands within the shipyard, and the ability to rapidly analyze how proposed process and facility changes impact overall shipyard productivity. Ultimately this leads to reduced cost and risk to Navy shipbuilding programs. GD NASSCO led this project, building on many successful simulation modeling applications already used to analyze individual work centers within the yard. TransSystems provided simulation model design support, and Atlantec ES provided product data interface/handling support. Bender Shipbuilding and ShipConstructor Software USA participated to demonstrate transportability of the developed simulation architecture to other, smaller shipyards and product modeling systems.

Key Deliverables:

Final Report – Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Point of Contact:

Jeffrey Schaedig, General Dynamics NASSCO