Our CAD Yacht Design Process

8/18/2019 Our CAD Yacht Design Process

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Our CAD Yacht Design Process

How We Use CAD to Design Boats

And to Develop CNC Cutting Files

For Pre-Cut Boat Parts

Copyright 2011 - 2015 Michael Kasten

Updated December 2015

This page contains a summary of ho ! use CAD during the de"elopment of a ne yacht design# and t building the "essel by direct use of the computer-generated model% &s an e'tension of this article# plea

prefer (U)*+ +urface Modeling to originate our boat and yacht design%

The Design of a ne yacht is ordinarily di"ided into three basic stages,

!% The reliminary Design +$etches!!% The +tudy . /stimating lans

!!!% The inal *uilding lans%

Those are the basic Design tages that must be completed before a ne yacht design is ready for the

Design Process itself please re"ie my separate article on Custom Design% *elo ! ill focus insteadof good use# and ho the C&D generated D model can be le"eraged for actual construction of the bo

*eyond the "arious essential design tas$s re3uired hen creating a ne "essel# there are se"eral actu

designer can become in"ol"ed% or e'ample# a natural e'tension of the designers or$ is to detail the

order to ma$e pre-cut boat parts%

*elo# ell ha"e a loo$ at ho the design and the building processes are augmented by the "arious

Marine Design# !nc% 4hile e ma$e e'tensi"e use of basic "icroso#t O##ice softare such as $%cel f

specifications and Ado!e Acro!at for generating plots and final documentation# the folloing article

speciali6ed softare tools - generally referred to as 7CAD7 8Computer &ided Design9%

:ur 7CAD Design trea&7 is best understood if it is separated into #our discreet design related boat

designer# plus to additional tas$s done by the cutting shop and the builder%%% per the folloing outline

1% Creating the Design

2% ;enerating the +tructure

% Detailing the arts


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'( Creating the Design

M:D/>!(;

4e begin the design process by modeling the general shape of the hull# dec$s and superstructure% or tfound Ma'surf boat and ship design softare to be intuiti"e# highly capable# and accurate%

&t the beginning of any boat design pro?ect e ill create a model ithin Ma'surf Modeler # using a c

:ften this is done by modifying an e'isting Ma'surf design to suit a ne re3uirement% 4hen it is arr

model - usually borroing elements from prior designs in so doing%

The "a%sur# model is refined as needed for the emerging concept design% 4hen the model has been sthe 7container7 for s$etching in the preliminary accommodations layout% 4ith feedbac$ from the preli

model ill be re"ised to suit%

The "a%sur# model is refined as the design matures# so that at the end of the design process the modedraing% The completed model ill include the hull# bul$heads# soles# tan$ faces# dec$s# bular$s# hoand other appendages% !n other ords# the model is as complete as it can be in terms of the structures t

internal compartments%

&(&>@+!+

!n addition to its e'cellent modeling and fairing tools# "a%sur# also has a "ariety of tools for assessin

programmable calculation sheet hich can be set up to pro"ide nearly any hull-form related calculatiofuel re3uirements# etc%9%

or further analyses e ma$e use of "arious other components of the "a%sur# softare family such astability and trim# Ma'surf )esistance 8Aullspeed9 for resistance# Ma'surf B 8+&(9 for sailing per8+ea$eeper9 for sea $eeping . motion analysis%

:ur primary stability and trim analysis tool is H)dro&a%# herein e are able to model the tan$s and

additionally has comprehensi"e built-in tools for assessing compliance ith "arious international stabi

!+:# the !M:# and the U+ Coast ;uard%

To understand the rationale behind hy e consider (U)*+ +urface Modeling to be a superior appro"essel but also for the sa$e of accurate analysis# please see our (U)*+ +urface Modeling eb page%

D)&4!(;

:nce e ha"e finali6ed the design e ill begin to detail the model for construction% +ince e use oth

and detail draings# e ill e'port the lines as 2D or D D ireframe "ies for further detailing

4e find that C&D offers a number of efficiencies that may not be readily apparent% or e'ample# by co pencils and erasers on "ellum# ithin a C&D based or$flo e are able to 3uic$ly migrate myriad d

http://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurfhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/modeler.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/modeler.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/resistance.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/resistance.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/motions.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/motions.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/why_NURBS.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/why_NURBS.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurfhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/modeler.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/resistance.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/resistance.htmhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf/motions.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/why_NURBS.htm


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efficiency not readily accomplished ith hand drafted details% &lso e are able to ma$e changes more

urther# the C&D draings can easily be shared across our local netor$ or by email# alloing us to c

design team members locations% :f e3ual "alue is that 7screen shot7 images or D plots of the emerg

as a communication tool ith our clients - also independently of our respecti"e locations%

4ith C&D# hen the design is completed# e can offer the same $ind of support to the boat builders i

cases# directly "ia the C&D files themsel"es%

''( *enerating the tructure

!f the design is to be (C cut# the "a%sur# -generated D (U)*+ surface model ill be opened directl

the construction &odule of the Ma'surf suite of programs%

&s can be seen in the images to the right# ithin Wor+shop e are able to automate the generation of structure# including placement of stringers and frames% :nce the frames and stringers are defined# 4orframes so that they precisely match the hull shape# and ill calculate and place the "arious cutouts for

lates are also defined ithin 4or$shop# and the plate shapes are then e'panded onto flat sheets%

4hen completed# the entire collection of 4or$shop parts are e'ported as 2D D entities 8the e'pand

for further detailing and nesting ithin a separate C&D system%


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rames /'ported from Wor+shop to ,hino - Clic$ for >arger !mage

'''( Detailing the PartsD/T&!>!(;

4e use "icrostation for C&D drafting# for (C parts detailing# and for (C plate nesting% NC ?ust mgeneral term e use to refer to the process of cutting out metal boat parts from flat sheets using a comp

ays that the cuts are accomplished on steel are to use an o'y-fuel flame or a plasma ?et% or cutting a

abrasi"e ater ?et or a router%

!f the design ill be (C cut# the parts ill first be generated ithin the Wor+shop program# then e'poand detailing ithin "icrostation%

Microstation can or$ directly ith D and D4; files from an) "ersion of AutoCAD% This is a tri

rather intentionally ill not9 do% "icrostation is also able to import '*$ files and )hino .(/d& files

further (U)*+ surface modeling or detailing%

&s can be seen in the images to the right# ithin Microstation the 4or$shop-generated parts are being

necessary# additional parts are generated% *y con"ention# hether e are or$ing in 2D or in D# ith

frames imported from 4or$shop upon the body "ie imported from Ma'surf in order to "erify that th

http://www.kastenmarine.com/_screenshots/shiraz_frame_WS_export_to_rhino.png


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correctly interpreted% 4e ill also superimpose any prior interior or other rele"ant "ies by attaching

:nce detailed# the parts are labeled and grid lines are edited or added as needed% Te't# mar$ing lines# c

placed on separate layers# each of hich are color coded according to the re3uirements of the (C cutti

nested# large parts ill be cut into smaller pieces for the sa$e of efficient nesting onto standard plate si

P0O11'N*

&t this stage e create 7lot iles7 of the assembled parts that illustrate their layout and assembly% or

entities 8prior to nesting9 and the plates are arranged to sho their relationship to each other and to the

These 7lot iles7 are turned into a series of PDF files hich are then sent "ia email to the oner and

be needed% The oner# builder# and the builders subcontractors or "endors can plot the D draings copy shop plotting ser"ice%

&dditionally# the actual parts assembly files are occasionally useful to the builder# in hich case they directly to the builder - also by email%

'2( Nesting the Parts

&t this point# the 7lot iles7 of the parts assemblies are preser"ed as-is for future reference% Those fil

here they are further detailed for (C Cutting% Creating the actual Cut iles consists of performing th

a"ailable plate si6es# then organi6ing the C&D files and the entities they contain per the re3uirements o

The files are first organi6ed so that each file only contains parts ha"ing the same plate thic+ness% Ther

rames# lating# Tan$ aces and >ids# /ngine +tringers# +tem and Keelson# and for +tringers 8if there arrant de"eloping longitudinal stringers9%

Then the 7stoc$7 plate si6es a"ailable from suppliers are dran into each file to scale# and the frames oefficient nesting% or e'ample# all parts of .7 thic$ness ill be ithin one file so that# using standard

gi"en sheet can dra upon any .7 part for ma'imum nest density%

!n order to get the most efficient use of plate# e ill ordinarily do most of the nesting manually% +oft

not smart enough to ma$e the "arious decisions re3uired to achie"e an efficient nest of parts# for e'amthat it can be most easily elded bac$ together after cutting%

4hen the nestings are complete# there ill be an array of stoc$ si6ed plates of e3ual thic$ness ithin eof parts% &dditional labeling is introduced to identify plate si6es# plate thic$ness# alloy specification# et

cut lines are error chec$ed ithin "icrostation in order to correct any minute line crossings# unintendduplicate entities%

inally# the nested parts are output as D or D4; files for use by the cutters 8ho almost uni"ersall

D . D4; files are the actual completed 7Cut Files%7


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2( Cutting the Parts

Cut Files3 +ince it is far less e'pensi"e to send the parts definitions by email than it is to send the cut ill alays try to ma$e use of metal cutting shops that are closest to here the boat ill be built% 4e into a series of 4'P archi"es# and ready them to be sent by email directly to the cutter ho has been ch

The builder ill ordinarily purchase the plate and ha"e it deli"ered to the cutters or in many cases the

in-house% &fter the parts ha"e been cut they ill be shipped to the builders yard% !n this ay# the build

materials# as ell as the cost of cutting and shipping%

1a!!ed Parts3 &mong the images shon to the right# one illustrates an (C cut plate that has been del

for the sa$e of easier shipping% *y this means# although all of the parts ha"e been pre-cut# small tabs h

the part edges% This is done so that the parts all remain in easily handled# easily shipped# and easily ref

matter to cut the small tabs to release the parts% !t also allos the builder to instantly tell if any of the (are common in (e Eealand and &ustralia# but oddly this is not often done in (orth &merica%

"ar+ings3 !n the tabbed cut plate image to the right# ta$e note that the parts ha"e been mar$ed ith a

to use the plasma or ater-?et heads for etching the mar$ings% This is brilliant# as it "astly speeds up thand te't are accurate and easy to read# and the in$-?et does not impose any heat or stress on the plates%

common don under but# oddly# not in (orth &merica%

6ualit) Assurance3 During the cutting process# our follo-through is an important part of our design

essential in order to accommodate the "arying re3uirements of the "arious different (C cutters e enc built in (e Eealand# e ill customi6e the ?ob to their specifications and adapt the nestings to metric

+ince e or$ ith a "ariety of metal cutters# it is often our practice to first send one component throu

often this is the rudder# since it is relati"ely small but consists of precise foil shapes for the lifts# and a

component is satisfactory to the builder# has clean cut edges# and the parts accurately fit together# thensent through% :n the other hand# if a builder has established a reliable trac$ record ith their cutter of

this precaution%

2'( Building the Boat

4hy is !uilding the "essel listed as one of our design stream stages%%%F

*ecause by the time the metal arri"es at the builders yard# we will have already done quite a bit of the

our computers...!

+o although e do not build boats per se# e are indeed "ery much in"ol"ed in the actual boatbuildinnested# sent out and (C cut# e maintain a close relationship ith the builder as ell in order to be sur

fabrication should be accomplished%


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Other "aterials((7

Though the abo"e summary has focused on metal boats# (C cutting can also be used for router cuttingstructures# hether they are for hull and dec$ structures# or for boat interiors% /"en on a metal boat# thother flats can be detailed accurately ithin the C&D model# then pre-cut and deli"ered to the builder%

@et another application for the D modeling methods described abo"e is for direct D cutting% Aere# th

directly by a 5-a'is router to car"e out the shape that has been modeled% Most commonly this ould be

for ;) construction of a hull or superstructure% This approach sa"es an enormous amount of the buildshop space%

&nother application of this technology is to create a scale model# hether ?ust for fun# or to "erify the

tan$ testing% or a bit more information on this please see our brief eb article on rototyping G De"e

& somehat unusual pro?ect is the prototype shon abo"e and to the right%%% !t is the iranha# a prototyin "a%sur# and rendered in ,hino% The intent as to ha"e a mould cut by (C router so that the "ariou

or the iranha# Ke"lar and "inyl ester resin ould yield a structure thats stiff# light# strong%%% and bull

or the iranha retro-rod e could elect to ha"e the (C router car"e a female &ould and e ould be

immediately% Aoe"er the (C cut moulds are typically made of reinforced foam# so they are only goo

!f a larger production run ere anticipated# e ould instead ha"e the (C router car"e a male plug fomuch more durable mould for each part% This ould permit ma$ing many do6ens of ;) body parts fr

This $ind of (C Cutting technology is ell established for all manner of manufacturing endea"ors# an$cono&)((8

A Design-trea& Overview

The folloing flo-charts ere created in order to sho our design process - more or less ta$ing the u

into a linear diagram% ! ha"e used to different ays to represent the or$-flo# plus a lin$ to our Mathe softare described abo"e%%

•

+oftare in Use - This is a simplified flo chart shoing the softare e use# and ho a fe bthe process of creating a ne yacht design%

• rocess G Deli"erables - This is a or$flo chart shoing our Design rocess arranged in term

follo in order to create each ne yacht design% This process starts ith our interaction ith ththe design process# and finally produces the draings and documents that e deli"er to the clie

• Ma'surf - +oftare for *oat and @acht Design%

http://www.kastenmarine.com/modeling.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/piranha.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/KMD_workflow_primary_software.pdfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/KMD_workflow_primary_software.pdfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/KMD_workflow_process_software_deliverables.pdfhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/modeling.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/piranha.htmhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/KMD_workflow_primary_software.pdfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/KMD_workflow_process_software_deliverables.pdfhttp://www.kastenyachtdesign.com/maxsurf


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Cool /D "odels

The folloing are to e'amples of ho e ma$e good use of a D C&D or$flo in order to create a

communicate the result using D D files for use by both client and builder%

• D >ines Draing - This is a D perspecti"e file shoing the lines of one of our designs% &s

"a%sur# # then imported to "icrostation so that it could be 7plotted7 to a D PDF for custome

the D model# rotate it# 6oom# pan# al$-through# and you can change the perspecti"e% !f you tu

manage the layers in the original C&D draing# turning any of them on or off to simplify the ""isuali6ation of the spaces# and to see the "essels shape from any angle%

• D +tructure Draing - This is a D perspecti"e file shoing the structure of a metal yacht de

"a%sur# # the "essels structure as then created in Wor+shop after hich the basic structure

editing and detailing# and then 7plotted7 to a D PDF for the builder to use as a guide during asthe structure using simple# free Ado!e ,eader softare% This enables the builder and his cre

interrelates%

Design 'n#or&ation

4hile e regularly de"elop (C cutting files as described abo"e# we do not sell "parts kits" per se% !n omaterials% !nstead# e offer Building Plans and NC Cutting Files for any of our pre-e'isting designs#

services for design# analysis# and parts de"elopment%

:nce e ha"e completed a ne custom design# or hene"er e ha"e pro"ided a client ith one of our

ma$e recommendations and introductions to 3ualified builders ho e consider to be suited to the tasill prefer to pro"ide a bare hull# others a poer-aay pac$age# and yet others ill only ta$e on the co

&lthough our *uilding lans pac$ages are "ery complete# e "ery much prefer to stay in"ol"ed during

might be clarifications desired on the part of the builder# or if there are possible changes introduced by

draings might be re3uested# etc%

Where 1o Fro& Here(((7

or pricing and ordering information on any of our pre-e'isting boat designs and (C cutting files# plea

4hether e create the (C files from scratch# or offer them as part of a stoc$ design pac$age# e still imetal cutting%

!n ad"ance of de"eloping any ne boat design or other modeling pro?ect and prior to de"eloping (C C

Design Proposal that includes an estimate for our or$ that is based on the scope of the pro?ect that h

or more information about creating (C Cut files for any of our designs# or possibly to generate (C ccontact me as needed%
http://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/chantage_3D_persp.pdfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/chantage_3D_persp.pdfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/valdemar_3D_parts.pdfmailto:[email protected]?subject=NC%20Cutting%20Inquirymailto:[email protected]?subject=NC%20Cutting%20Inquiryhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/chantage_3D_persp.pdfhttp://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/valdemar_3D_parts.pdfmailto:[email protected]?subject=NC%20Cutting%20Inquiry

Our CAD Yacht Design Process

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