How hard is it to design a ship?
In the Ship Design process, we need to play several iterations, once the major requirements in a ship are linked (speed, efficiency, shape, capacity…)
Normally we follow the spiral design to go from 0 to a newbuilding design. This spiral (Evan’s Spiral) allows the engineers to go through the same point several times, refining the design into small details.
We can tell there are 5 main laps with many variables
Concept: The scratch, where the idea of the ship starts to create form. The best this step to be developed, better and easy will be the following ones.
Preliminary: The first refining, here the engineers already know at least how the ship will be shaped, the main arrangements, required speed, and stability
Contract: Here is defined suppliers, makers, details for the main equipment, how she will be built, how the owner wants the construction to be surveyed
Detailed: Another refining considering all details from makers and suppliers, stability adjusts, power generation definition, all to be set up to start the construction
Building: Here all the design is carefully segregated in steps, several plans, defined how the newbuilding shall be conducted, steel plate cuts, welding process, and so on
Not so easy, right?