ARL to Develop Investment as 3D Product Model Design Software
Albacore Research Ltd (ARL) has announced that its ShipConstructor software has been named design software-of-choice under the Second-Tier Shipyard Design Enhancement Program, which was recently granted funding under the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) Advanced Shipbuilding Enterprise initiative. The NSRP Advanced Shipbuilding Enterprise is a collaborative program aimed at boosting productivity among U.S. first- and second-tier shipbuilding and repair yards. Recent project awards included $1.25 million for the development of standard shared CAD software for commonality of designs of critical components such as HVAC and piping systems and creation of a common parts catalogue.
A Step Forward For Thick Section Plate Cutting
For years, general manufacturing companies have enjoyed the benefit of laser cutting systems for producing complex or simple parts in batch volumes as low as one, and as high as tens of thousands. The laser is an incredibly powerful tool that remains unsurpassed in manufacturing activities across the world. As flexible and reconfigurable production tool that provides welding, cutting and machining capabilities in a single device, lasers are readily automated and have demonstrated that they can easily operate in "lights-out" mode for even greater productivity. With all this said, why aren't there any laser shipyards? Why hasn't one of the worlds largest and most important transportation industries rushed to implement laser cutting and welding technology?
