Engineering management of early stage warship design

Abstract

Warship Feasibility Studies are highly complex projects. The thesis attempts to highlight the relevant factors inherent within industry and academia and then derives a methodology for managing early stage warship design. The initial data were gathered at the VT shipyard by interviewing key personnel. The collected data are then analysed using the MS Visio flowchart package to create input/output diagrams for all existing areas of work. Identifying explicit and implicit links allows the existing areas of work to be linked and inherent areas to be identified. The resulting connection diagrams are then analysed and compared with existing literature. The analysis results in the creation of several loops depicting the data flow during the assessment phase.
Two case studies are carried out to further refine the developed interface model. This model is further improved by carrying out in-depth investigations into previously neglected design factors. A series of algorithms are developed that can be used to determine balanced designs for corvettes and fast attack craft. These algorithms are used to identify factors and events that need extra attention during the design process. Different tools for managing the dataflow across the identified interfaces are researched and a set of control mechanisms is described in more detail. One mechanism, Margins, is further investigated using the developed algorithms in combination with knowledge obtained at VT to determine suitable margin ranges and applications.
The results from the interface analysis and interface management studies are combined to derive a management methodology, consisting of a project schedule, a set of functional flowcharts and an accompanying guidance manual. This methodology is tested and validated on a design study. The results from the validation are used to determine any required changes to the methodology. The developed methodology is found to provide an effective tool for managers and designers during the early stages of warship design in a defence environment.

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ORCID for P.A. Wilson: orcid.org/0000-0002-6939-682X

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