Applying Set-Based Design in Submarine Design

Applying Set-Based Design in Submarine Design

Rutten, R.C.

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Marine & Transport Technology

Design, Production and Operation - Ship Design

2015-12-15

Since its inception 80 years ago, the authors' company was involved in the design of submarines. Due to the complexity of submarines the design is a long process. The interaction between the various systems on board means that late changes have a major impact on the design process resulting in an even longer gestation period. As a consequence the introduction of new technology, developed in the gestation period of the design must be halted well before the first submarine of a new design hits the water. Set-Based Design (SBD) is a design methodology where the design is kept flexible during the design process. By eliminating the worst solutions and keeping a set of best solutions, instead of the choosing only the best, the flexibility for changes in the requirements is accomplished. For applying SBD the following three principles must be used. 1. Mapping of the design space: Define feasible regions, explore trade-offs by designing multiple alternatives and communicate sets of possibilities. 2. Integrate by intersection: Look for intersection of feasible sets, impose minimum constraints and seek conceptual robustness. 3. Establish feasibility before commitment: Narrow sets gradually while increasing detail, stay within sets once committed and control by managing uncertainty at process gates. Because of the high complexity and the small design margins of the design process of submarines application of SBD could be beneficial. By keeping the design flexible the integration of all system can be done with a higher knowledge level. In a Point-based design process the influence of the manager is greatest when the best concept must be selected. After that decision the influence of the manager decreases because the design is fixed. This causes an inflexible design with limited changes in the design. With SBD the selection is delayed and the final concept is chosen at a later stage. This allows more management influence over the length of the process.

Set-Based Design
Submarine Design
Design Method
Ship Design

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:4fd572e2-1eed-4512-9c56-bb1a6809de35

2020-11-30

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2015 Rutten, R.C.