a u t o s h i p Tel: (604) 254-4171

Systems Corporation Fax: (604) 254-5171

Suite 312 - 611 Alexander St
Vancouver, BC V6A 1E1 CANAA
!!!"autos#ip"com
Autostructure the easy way to create the
iteral structure o! your ship
Autostructure is used to create a 3 model o$ vessel structure and to output t#e
parts o$ t#at model in CA $ormat" %#e CA representation can &e used eit#er to
prepare construction dra!in's or $or input to NC cuttin' processors"
Autostructure utili(es an Autoship-'enerated #ull and)or superstructure and can
also include t#e s#ell plate in$ormation created in Autoplate" *Autoship and
Autoplate are pro'rams $rom Autos#ip Systems"+
Every aspect o$ Autostructure !as desi'ned to allo! parts to &e created ,uic-ly and !it#
minimal input" .#ile t#ere is a 'eneral !or-$lo!, no set !ays or se,uences are $orced
upon t#e user, t#us ena&lin' maximum productivity !it# minimum e$$ort" Since parts can
&e 'enerated rapidly, mista-es can &e ,uic-ly and easily remedied" Also, i$ a part is
c#an'ed or moved, Autostructure can update t#e a$$ected structure $or you, savin' you
time and e$$ort"
%#e tools t#at Autostructure provides are/
1+ A part data&ase !it# a po!er$ul cate'ori(ation system
2+ %#e a&ility to rapidly cut parts to t#e s#ell and)or eac# ot#er
3+ Sop#isticated 2 part editin'
0+ Compre#ensive CA output
1+ Extensive reportin' capa&ilities
6+ A user-expanda&le 2aterial li&rary
Autostructure is &uilt on top o$ S34 Server 5 6 2icroso$t7s most po!er$ul data&ase
system" As delivered, Autostructure can support up to $ive users eit#er in a client-server
or peer-to-peer net!or-" 8or more t#an $ive users, a $ull S34 Server system s#ould &e
purc#ased separately" Autostructure allo!s t#e user to set up a #ierarc#ical system to
or'anise t#e model" %#ree examples are/ i+ &y actual structure i"e"
rin')&loc-)module)su&assem&ly9 or ii+ &y desi'ner/ eac# desi'ner could &e assi'ned
#is)#er o!n, separate assem&ly, !#ic# could &e $urt#er su&divided, and !ould &e a&le
access t#e ot#er desi'ner7s !or-9 or iii+ &y material/ $or a repair :o&, t#e user mi'#t !ant
to 'roup individual parts &y material type, i"e" material)si(e)pro$ile)'rade" Also, $or eac#
1
pro:ect, Autostructure provides t#e user !it# t#e a&ility to set up a ;ermissions sc#eme
t#at controls !#ic# operations eac# desi'ner is allo!ed to per$orm"
Autostructure provides several di$$erent met#ods $or creatin' parts" Eac# one is ,uic-,
simple and strai'#t$or!ard" Autostructure also includes special tools t#at speed up t#e
part-ma-in' process, suc# as t#e a&ility to rapidly copy t#e details *sti$$eners, cutouts,
openin's and mar-in's+ $rom one part to anot#er or to ,uic-ly su&divide a lar'e part into
t#e separate plates $rom !#ic# it !ould &e $a&ricated" Additionally, eac# time a part is
trimmed at t#e #ull or anot#er part, a !eld pat# is automatically created alon' t#e
trimmed ed'e" %#e !eld pat#s can &e used to 'enerate !eld relie$ cutouts on ot#er parts
and can &e included in !ei'#t and sc#edulin' reports"
Autostructure uses AutoCA 2<<< *or later+ $or all 2 editin' $unctions" Special tools
allo! t#e user to easily attac# and edit sti$$eners, s!i$tly 'enerate openin's, sti$$ener
cutouts and mar-in's and also to per$orm Boolean operations" =$ course, all t#e usual
AutoCA $unctionality is availa&le as !ell"
All CA output is trans$erred directly into AutoCA" %#ree di$$erent $ormats are availa&le/
i+ a 2 array o$ selected part outlines !it# cutouts and mar-in's, i"e" t#e typical
in$ormation !#ic# !ould &e sent to an NC-cuttin' processor and)or nestin' pro'ram9 ii+ a
2 presentation o$ parts, suc# as a cross section !#ic# !ould &e used to prepare
construction or classi$ication dra!in's9 and iii+ 3 output to use $or 3 dra!in's to s#o!
t#e relations#ips o$ parts or crucial construction details, and to &e used as input &y ot#er
pro'rams" Extensive control is provided $or output, suc# as layer creation, si(e and
dept# o$ cross-section and type o$ sti$$ener mar-in'"
Autostructure can 'enerate many di$$erent reports, suc# as .ei'#ts and Centres, Bill =$
2aterials and .eld reports" %#e output is sent to Crystal >eports, !#ic# allo!s t#e
presentation to &e completely customi(ed !it# minimum e$$ort" =ptionally, #ull plate
in$ormation created in Autoplate can &e added to t#e Autostructure model and t#en
included in reports" %#is means, $or example, t#at a centre o$ 'ravity report $or a su&-
assem&ly can include t#e !ei'#t and centre o$ t#e s#ell plates, t#us allo!in' t#e user to
prepare a proper li$tin' arran'ement $or t#e structure"
Autostructure maintains a li&rary o$ materials t#at includes material type, plate t#ic-ness,
extrusions *sti$$ener pro$iles+, $lat &ars and $inis#es *$or renderin' purposes+" As eac#
part t#e user creates is assi'ned properties $rom t#e li&rary, consistency o$ material $or
all parts is 'uaranteed" %#e material li&rary is user-expanda&le and provides $or easy
input o$ ne! material and pro$iles"
%#e s#ip model appearin' in t#e $ollo!in' pa'es !as created to s#o! #o! some o$ t#e
modellin' operations per$ormed in Autostructure are carried out" 2ost pa'es include an
indication o$ t#e time spent per$ormin' t#e operation" %#e total num&er o$ parts created
and t#e total time ta-en to create t#e model is detailed near t#e end o$ t#e presentation"
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3
;ro:ect 2ana'er is a separate pro'ram t#at is used to mana'e t#e pro:ect data&ase" As indicated
&y t#e lar'e num&er o$ ta&s, ;ro:ect 2ana'er allo!s many aspects o$ t#e data&ase to &e
mana'ed $rom one convenient application"
=ne o$ t#e main $unctions o$ ;ro:ect 2ana'er is to create ne! Autostructure pro:ects" ?n t#is vie!,
!e #ave already selected an Autos#ip pro:ect, #ad ;ro:ect 2ana'er set up t#e data&ase, and are
no! settin' up t#e ;ermissions $or t#at pro:ect" %#e next step !ill &e to esta&lis# automatic
&ac-up sc#edules" %otal time to create a ne! pro:ect/ a&out 1 minutes"
0
%#e Bul-#ead ;lacement dialo'ue is used to ,uic-ly esta&lis# t#e locations o$ transverse
!aterti'#t &ul-#eads" %o provide 'uidance $or &ul-#ead placement, t#e dialo'ue can also
calculate and display $looda&le len't# curves and 1/1 lines"

?n t#is vie!, !e #ave positioned our &ul-#eads &y clic-in' t#e Create Bul-#ead &utton and t#en at
t#e $rame locations *t#e vertical das#ed lines+" .e can compare t#e 1/1 lines !it# t#e 8looda&le
len't# curve and reposition t#e &ul-#ead accordin'ly" .#en a satis$actory layout #as &een
ac#ieved, !e7ll clic- Make Parts to #ave t#e pro'ram cut eac# &ul-#ead to t#e #ull, complete !it#
data on &evel an'les" .e7ll also use t#is in$ormation to #elp produce our @eneral Arran'ement
dra!in'" %otal time/ a&out 1 minutes, plus t#e $looda&le len't# curve calculation time, !#ic#
varies !it# t#e #ull $orm"
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%#e @lo&al 4ayout dialo'ue !as desi'ned to allo! rapid 'eneration o$ lar'e structural parts t#at
lie in one o$ t#e t#ree principal planes" ?n an e$$icient t!o-step process, part locations are ,uic-ly
esta&lis#ed &y indicatin' t#eir position on a set o$ 'rid lines, and t#en all t#e parts are
se,uentially cut in a sin'le operation" As eac# part is cut, it is automatically trimmed to t#e #ull
and any surroundin' previously cut parts" %#e $rame 'rid is set &y t#e Autos#ip pro:ect, t#e dec-
and lon'itudinal 'rids are set !it# t#e controls at ri'#t" A special ma'ni$ication !indo! *t#e
s,uare overlay+ is availa&le to #elp c#oose amon' closely spaced 'rid lines"
?n t#is vie!, !e7ve set t#ree dec- 'rid lines and t!o lon'itudinal 'rid lines and #ave laid out t#e
positions o$ a several lon'itudinal &ul-#eads and dou&le &ottoms - t#ey appear in red 6 and are
:ust a&out to position a tan- top" %#e oran'e lines are t#e &ul-#eads !e created in t#e previous
step, t#e Bul-#ead ;lacement dialo'ue" Next, !e7ll clic- 2a-e ;arts to #ave t#e parts cut" %otal
time a&out 1< minutes"
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%#e main screen $eatures an =pen@4 vie!er $or 'rap#ical representation o$ t#e model and a
Bro!ser $or navi'atin' t#e assem&ly and part #ierarc#y" Eit#er, or &ot# may &e displayed in
several di$$erent con$i'urations" %#e Vie!er provides many separate tools $or (oom, pan, vie!,
rotate, li'#tin', cut-a!ay and $o' *t#e $urt#er a part is $rom t#e vie!point, t#e more it is o&scured+
ma-in' it easy to see t#e structure as you !ant" %#e user #as complete control over #o! t#e
#ierarc#y is arran'ed, t#us allo!in' $or a meanin'$ul and :o&-speci$ic system to &e set up"
Autostructure7s main tools are al!ays !it#in easy reac# alon' t#e top in t#e menu &ar and tool
&ar"
?n t#is vie!, t#e Vie!er is at its de$ault position at ri'#t, and t#e Bro!ser is on t#e le$t" ?n t#e
Bro!ser, !e7ve selected all t#e parts created t#us $ar &y clic-in' on t#e upper-most assem&ly,
2ain" ?n t#e Vie!er, !e #ave rotated t#e model to loo- do!n $rom a&ove, star&oard"
A
Autostructure $eatures a separate pro'ram, >eport 2ana'er, $or 'eneratin' reports" Several
report types, suc# as .ei'#ts and Centres, Bill =$ 2aterials and .elds are availa&le" %#e report
$ormat may &e customi(ed usin' Crystal >eports" %#e >eport 2ana'er uses t#e same Bro!ser
as Autostructure in order to allo! easy selection o$ t#e parts to &e included in t#e report" >eports
may &e printed directly and)or saved to dis-"
?n t#is vie!, !e7re loo-in' at t#e last pa'e o$ a !ei'#t summary $or t#e entire structure !e7ve
created so $ar"
B
%#e 2 editor is used $or addin' details suc# as cutouts, openin's, sti$$eners and mar-in's to $lat
parts" .e7ve made part editin' easy &y incorporatin' AutoCA and addin' some special tools $or
!or-in' on Autostructure parts" Autostructure maintains a user-expanda&le li&rary o$ material and
extrusions, t#us ensurin' consistency o$ material and type $or all parts"
?n t#is vie!, !e7ve &rou'#t a transverse $rame into t#e 2 editor and t#en attac#ed #ori(ontal
sti$$eners, created li'#tenin' #oles &et!een t#e sti$$eners and added $lat &ars to t#e ed'es o$ t#e
openin's" %otal time $or t#is $rame a&out 1< minutes"
1<
%o save time !#en ma-in' parts, !e7ve created t#e Copy ;anel Con$i'uration dialo'ue" %#is
allo!s you to copy t#e details *openin's, sti$$eners, cutouts and mar-in's+ $rom one $lat part to
similar $lat parts" %#e settin's at t#e ri'#t provide easy control over !#ic# details to copy"
?n t#is vie!, !e7re copyin' t#e $ive openin's, t#e $ive $ace &ars and t#e $our sti$$eners $rom part %r
8>2 8r 6B to part %r 8>2 8r 5<" %ime to copy t#ese details to C0< ot#er $rames, a&out 6 minutes"
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%#is vie! s#o!s one o$ t#e central &loc-s t#at #as &een considera&ly detailed" %#ere are AB 8lat
plates, AA1 Extrusions, 1<<A 8lat Bars and 2131 !elds" %otal operator time to ma-e t#ese
transverse $rames, $loors, s#ell sti$$eners, dou&le &ottom sti$$eners and &ul-#ead sti$$eners !as
a&out $our #ours"
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%#e ;anel Su&division dialo'ue is used to cut a lar'e part into t#e separate plates $rom !#ic# it
!ill &e constructed" Controls !#ic# set t#e plate si(e, pattern and ori'in allo! $or $ast su&division
o$ t#e part" Additionally, parts can &e re-su&mitted to &e su&divided a'ain"
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%#e Su&division ;revie! s#o!s t#e resultin' layout o$ plates and lets you c#an'e t#e t#ic-ness
o$ any o$ t#em" Eac# plate &ecomes a ne!, separate part, and t#e pro'ram also creates t#e
!elds &et!een t#e plates"
Su&division may also &e made alon' curves !#ic# you create in an AutoCA editin' session"
%ime to su&divide one part, C 2 minutes"
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All Autostructure CA output can &e export directly to AutoCA as dra!in's" %#ree di$$erent
$ormats, eac# #avin' many options, are availa&le and ena&le you to easily produce dra!in's to
your o!n standards" ra!in's exist as 1/1 scale in 2odel Space, allo!in' you to !or- easily !it#
t#e parts"
?n t#is vie!, !e7ve exported t!o parts $or NC-cuttin' preparation" As t#e text, outlines and
mar-in's all exist on di$$erent layers, it is a simple tas- to select t#e appropriate entities to send to
t#e NC processor"
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%#e material mana'er, !#ic# is inte'rated into Autostructure, is used to create ne! materials,
plate types, extrusions, $lat &ars and $inis#es *$inis#es are used $or renderin'+" Autostructure
arrives !it# most common materials, plate t#ic-ness and sti$$ener and $lat &ar s#apes already
included in t#e li&rary" Davin' one common li&rary ensures t#at t#e material type, plate t#ic-ness
and sti$$ener pro$iles used t#rou'#out t#e pro:ect !ill &e consistent"
Autostructure: Features "ist
3-tier data&ase system &ased on S34 Server 5
A tree-vie!)list-vie! &ro!ser provides a user inter$ace to t#e data&ase"
A vie!er &ased on =pen@4 provides visuali(ation"
Bul-#ead layout !it# or !it#out internally calculated $looda&le len't#s curves"
A 'lo&al layout module in !#ic# s#eet parts parallel to t#e principle planes are
created, !it# automatic trimmin' to ad:acent parts"
@eneral plane $lat plate parts
A parametric !e& $rame desi'n option is provided in t#e 'lo&al layout module"
.#en cut to a s#ell, t#e &evel an'le at !#ic# eac# &oundary se'ment meets t#e
s#ell is retained and can &e exported"
8lat parts can &e edited" %#is is done &y usin' AutoCA 2<<< as an auxiliary
pro'ram" ;arts 'eometry is trans$erred pro'rammatically to and $rom AutoCA" A
custom tool&ar provides access to $unctions speciali(ed to part editin'"
.it#in t#e editor $ace sti$$eners and ed'e sti$$eners can &e created and located"
Extrusions can #ave parametrically speci$ied end s#apes"
Ne! materials, s#eet types, extrusions, $lat &ars and $inis#es can &e created"
Extrusion cross section editin' is supported"
;arts can &e created &y re$lectin' existin' parts across t#e centre line"
Sti$$eners can &e created alon' curves em&edded in t#e s#ell sur$aces"
?nter$erence !it# $lat parts and extrusions can &e detected and displayed in
dialo'ues" t#e user may t#en c#oose corrective action"
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.elds are automatically 'enerated !#ere parts are cut to t#e s#ell, !#ere parts
are cut to ot#er parts and alon' extrusion pat#s"
etails, includin' openin's, mar-s and sti$$eners, can &e copied $rom one part to
ot#er similar parts and t#eir mirrors &y a mouse clic-"
4ar'e parts can &e su&divided to t#e si(e o$ availa&le stoc-" 2ar-s and sti$$ener
in$ormation are copied to eac# ne! part" %#e division can &e alon' user-edited
mar-s or on a 'rid"
;art properties editor !it# detection o$ part invalidations
>e'eneration o$ invalidated parts
Autoplate pro:ects can &e incorporated into t#e Autostructure data&ase"
;arts may &e exported directly into AutoCA 2<<< $or dra!in' preparation,
nestin' and NC cuttin', or ot#er purposes" %#ree export types are supported/ 2d
parts, 2d assem&ly and 3d"
?nverse &endin' curves $or extrusions optional in part export"
%#e separate >eport 2ana'er pro'ram provides 0 report types" Ne! report types
are easily added"
?mportation o$ penetration reports $rom >e&is7 Auto;4AN% pipin' desi'n
pro'ram, display o$ t#e data and production o$ a report o$ Autostructure user
actions"
Arc#ivin' o$ complete pro:ects $or exc#an'e and lon'-term stora'e"
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