C-Job chooses NAPA to accelerate vessel concept design with Darwinian theory and 3D models
Helsinki, Finland/Hoofddorp, The Netherlands – 7 December 2017
NAPA, a leading global maritime software, services and data analysis provider, and C-Job Naval Architects, the largest independent ship design and engineering company in the Netherlands, have announced a webinar to introduce Accelerated Concept Design – a way to automate and optimize the concept stage of the ship design process using genetic algorithms.
Multi-objective optimization gives the designer a better understanding of the trade-offs when choosing design goals.
In this Darwinian process, successive ‘generations’ of ship designs are automatically created by the algorithm; each generation inheriting the most successful characteristics of its predecessors. This removes uncertainty within the whole ship design process – speeding up the design process and giving ship-owners even more confidence in their final design. This method has long been theorized as applicable to ship design, and is finally becoming a reality thanks to NAPA’s development of 3D modelling capabilities and increases in computing power.
This methodology has demonstrated its value in other fields such as spaceflight, with NASA using genetic algorithms to create optimum designs for components such as antennae. The application of Accelerated Concept Design is particularly vital for shipping, as increasing market and regulatory pressures require hull designs to become ever more efficient, while maintaining the highest safety standards and compliance with regulations. In contrast to traditional methods, where typically only small changes to existing models are possible, Accelerated Concept Design enables Naval Architects to explore new directions with greater confidence.
C-Job and NAPA are collaborating on the development of this methodology, using NAPA software to generate concept designs within shorter time spans. In addition, they are working on software developments that will deliver more accurate estimations of construction weight, building costs and performance.
“We know that the current generation of naval architects is under more pressure than ever before to rapidly adjust their designs to keep pace with ever-changing requirements from owners, yards, regulators and the market,” says Jan Furustam, Sales Director, Design Solutions at NAPA. “We build our products around these needs, with the user at the center of our development process. The use of NAPA for Accelerated Concept Design shows how adaptable our software is to any design environment, allowing users to cope easily with new requirements and ways of working.”
“The power to automate vital parts of the design process represents a huge step forward for vessel designers,” says Thijs Muller, Lead Naval Architect at C-Job. “Instead of manually optimizing parts of the design process, virtual ‘evolution’ finds the ‘fittest’ designs automatically. This means that designers can be more confident that their designs will deliver the results they need, and gives them back more time to explore new ideas and concepts.”
NAPA and C-Job will present their research and its applications during a free webinar on December 13 and 14, exploring the principles behind this methodology and its potential to transform the process of ship design. Registration information for this webinar is available here: http://bit.ly/2zauy8Q
About C-Job
C-Job Naval Architects is the largest independent ship design and engineering company in the Netherlands. Established 10 years ago, the company now employs close to 100 in-house maritime engineers and naval architects in four offices. We work with a passion for everything afloat. Whether newbuild or conversions and modifications, C-Job is renowned for ground-breaking new vessels in a broad range of maritime sectors that includes dredging, heavy lift, offshore (wind), ferries, superyachts and more.
From the very first concept vessel designs, through to basic and detailed engineering packages, C-Job engineers are committed to producing new, innovative and sustainable solutions for the global maritime shipbuilding industry. Our attention to detail and close cooperation with ship owners and yards means that we are able to develop exactly what the client has in mind. For more information, visit www.c-job.com
About NAPA
In its nearly 30 years of operation, NAPA has become a global leader in software, services and data analysis for the maritime industry; providing best in class data-led solutions for safety, efficiency and productivity in both ship design and operations.
NAPA operates globally, with eleven offices across Asia, Europe and the Americas supported by its Helsinki headquarters. To date, NAPA has nearly 400 user organizations for its design solutions and over 2,500 installations onboard vessels. For more information, visit www.napa.fi
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Kate O’Connor, BLUE Communications
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