International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

SHIP WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURES THROUGH DIFFERENT SHIP LIFECYCLE

STAGES
Malay Pal, Siemens Industry Software, India

SUMMARY

Definition of complete and accurate work breakdown structures of a ship is an important and critical activity in every
shipbuilding project. This is required in every stage of a ship project, right from the inquiry and concept design stage, to
basic, detail and production design, and continues through definition of as-built structure, maintenance work breakdown
structure, etc., right up to defining work breakdown structures for decommissioning (for ship and offshore structures).

While the need is well understood, many shipyards and ship design organizations find it challenging to define these
work breakdown structures across all stages of a project, and to understand the linkages between these work breakdown
structures through the various phases of a design and build project. Things become more difficult when the ship or
offshore structure enters its service life, when the maintenance (and later the decommissioning) organizations are
different.

One key challenge in the definition of ship work breakdown structures is how to represent the same entity in different
structures as it moves through its lifecycle, e.g., from concept design to basic design to detail design to production
design. A new component based approach based on 4th generation of design (4GD) technology built into a PLM system
to manage ship data allows for the definition of different but linked work breakdown structures of a ship through its
different lifecycle stages.

This paper explains in detail the different work breakdown structures in shipbuilding and how 4GD technology can be
used to define and manage the same.

NOMENCLATURE can be completed independently of other tasks,

facilitating resource allocation, assignment of
4GD 4th Generation Design responsibilities, and measurement and control of the
AWBS Area Work Breakdown Structure project. An effective WBS plays a key role in the
BOP Bill of Process implementation of a shipbuilding project.
BOR Bill of Resources
CWBS Contract Work Breakdown Structure Definition of complete and accurate work breakdown
ESWBS Expanded Ship Work Breakdown structures is required in every stage of a ship project
Structure through its acquisition, deployment, and
HBCM Hull Block Construction Method decommissioning and disposal phases. While the need is
LRW Liquid Radioactive Waste well understood, many shipyards and ship design
MRV Multi Role Vessel organizations find it challenging to define these work
O&M Operation and Maintenance breakdown structures across all stages of a project, and to
PLM Product Lifecycle Management understand the linkages between them.
PWBS Product Work Breakdown Structure
RFP Request for Proposal This paper explains the different work breakdown
SFI Senter for Forskningsdrevet Innovasjon structures in shipbuilding and how a new component
SNF Spent Nuclear Fuel based approach based on 4th generation of design (4GD)
SOW Statement of Work technology built into a PLM system can be used to define
SRW Solid Radioactive Waste and manage the same.
SWBS Ship or System Work Breakdown
Structure This paper discusses the topic using examples of naval
WBS Work Breakdown Structure and other government ships, but the principles are
ZOFM Zone Outfitting Method equally applicable to commercial ships, offshore
ZPTM Zone Painting Method platforms and luxury yachts.
ZWBS Zone Work Breakdown Structure
2. WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
1. INTRODUCTION
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) breaks down the
A complex project like shipbuilding is made manageable work of a project into a hierarchical structure of
by breaking it down into individual components in a elements, in order to manage and control the scope. This
hierarchical structure, known as the work breakdown allows good definition of the work, and allows discrete,
structure, or the WBS. Such a structure defines tasks that coherent packages of work to be estimated and then

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

delegated. A typical example can be Figure 1, which A work breakdown structure serves as a coordinating
shows a basic WBS for the construction of a nuclear medium. For each work breakdown structure element,
submarine. Generically, a work breakdown structure is
defining the solution to a problem in terms of a product.

Fig. 1 : A Work Breakdown Structure for Construction of a Nuclear Submarine

the detailed technical objectives are defined and specified design criteria, program scope, technical performance
work tasks are assigned to each contractor’s organization requirements, acquisition strategy, and other technical
elements, and assigned for the resources, materials, and documentation.
processes required to attain the objectives. The linkage
between the specification requirements, the work Early in the concept exploration phase, the systems
breakdown structure, the statement of work, and the engineering efforts are aimed at trying to establish the
master and detailed schedules provides specific insights user’s need. Prior to system design and development,
into the relationship between cost, schedule, and system requirements must be established. For naval
performance. This relationship allows all items to be ships, these requirements flow down from high-level
tracked to the same work breakdown structure element. program documents, class and other regulations, and
establish allocated mission functions assigned to specific
Work breakdown structures commonly used in ships.
shipbuilding are either systems- or product-oriented.
In Requirements Analysis, the systems engineer
3. PROGRAM WORK BREAKDOWN identifies and documents the customer’s requirements
STRUCTURE and translates them into a set of technical requirements
for the system. The requirements analysis should cover
The Program Work Breakdown Structure provides a the whole scope of the project, i.e., ship performance,
framework for specifying the objectives of the program. software, logistics, project management, safety,
It defines the program in terms of hierarchically related environment, human resources, test and acceptance, etc.
product-oriented elements. Each element provides logical
summary points for assessing technical accomplishments It is essential to have a management system for user
and for measuring cost and schedule performance. requirements and the linkages to system requirements,
and then through to the eventual design specifications
The Program WBS is developed early in the conceptual through to the formal acceptance activities. The user (or
stages of a program through systems engineering and customer) requirements form the basis of the contract
management planning processes. It evolves through and its acceptance, and they can then be used to manage
iterative analysis of the program objective, functional support of the ships through life.

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

Functional Analysis begins with separating an entity life cycle to organize and correlate elements for cost,
(e.g., ship, system) into high-level functional categories. weight, specifications, system function and effectiveness,
design, production, and maintenance studies. Numbering
During Functional Analysis/Allocation, the systems systems for ship’s drawings and related documents,
engineer translates the requirements identified in general and contract specifications, ship’s weight groups,
Requirements Analysis into a functional decomposition technical manuals, etc. are based on the ESWBS.
that describes the product in terms of an assembly of
configuration items where each configuration item is The US Navy's Systems Work Breakdown Structure was
defined by what it must do, its required performance, and originally issued in March 1973 as a structured system
its interfaces. Configuration items can be hardware, (3-digit numbers providing 5 levels of breakdown) which
software, or manpower. Functional allocation is the was intended for use in specification preparation, cost
process that assigns systems, subsystems, and estimating, cost progressing, management, weight
components to perform each function. control, drawing numbering, shipyard job order coding,
and similar purposes. ESWBS provides two additional
Functional Analysis translates the ship’s missions, levels of breakdown of functional systems so that
performance, goals, and other requirements into discrete ESWBS can be used for logistic support, maintenance,
and well-defined functions. The aim of functional and life cycle support purposes. So ESWBS is a five digit
analysis is to identify all of the activities that the system functional classification system, with the fourth and fifth
is required to perform, and each of these functions should single digit classification levels used to incorporate the
represent what must be done, not how to do it. Functions functions that support maintenance and repair needs. For
are broken down to the appropriate level, often to sub- example, for weight reporting purposes, only the first
functions and functional elements, depending on the three digits of this system apply.
range of functions addressed by the entity (refer
Requirements and Functional Breakdown Structures in SWBS groups are defined by basic function. The
Figure 3). Functional elements contain detailed functional segments of a ship, as represented by a ship’s
descriptions of a system's functions at a level which structure, systems, machinery, armament, outfitting, etc.,
allows the allocation of system components (i.e., are classified by a system of 3-digit numeric groups. The
equipment) to these individual elements. The Program major functional groups are :
WBS is developed at this point and precedes issue of a
formal request for proposal (RFP). ESWBS Group Description
000 General Guidance and
The Program WBS is included as part of the solicitation Administration
(RFP) and used by the successful contractor to develop a 100 Hull Structure
more detailed Contract Work Breakdown Structure 200 Propulsion Plant
(CWBS) which includes all product elements (hardware, 300 Electric Plant
software, data, or services) for which the contractor is 400 Command and Surveillance
responsible. 500 Auxiliary Systems
600 Outfit and Furnishings
4. CONTRACT WORK BREAKDOWN 700 Armament
STRUCTURE (CWBS) 800 Integration/Engineering
900 Ship Assembly and Support
The Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) is the Services
complete WBS for a specific contract. It is developed by
the contractor in accordance with the contract statement Table 1 : ESWBS Groups (first three digits)
of work (SOW). It includes the Program WBS elements
for the products (hardware, software, data, or services) ESWBS Groups 800 and 900 (refer Table 1) although a
which are to be furnished by the contractor. Contractors part of the of the work breakdown structure, deal with
extend the Contract WBS included in the RFP and engineering and design support. Therefore, these items
submit the complete Contract WBS with their proposal. are not required to physically describe the technical
aspects of the ship.
A CWBS provides a consistent and visible framework
that facilitates uniform planning, assignment of The ESWBS classification system allows the ship to be
responsibilities, and status reporting. specified at any of three levels : one-, two-, and three
digits. Each higher level indicates a higher degree of
5. SHIP WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE technical definition, as can be seen from the examples in
(SWBS) Table 2 below.

The U. S. Navy currently uses a systems-oriented

breakdown called the Expanded Ship Work Breakdown
Structure (ESWBS). It is used throughout the entire ship

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

(Group) 100 - Hull Structure 7. PRODUCT WORK BREAKDOWN

(Element) 101 - General Arrangement- STRUCTURE (PWBS)
Structural Drawings
(Subgroup) 110 - Shell and Supporting Product Work Breakdown Structure (PWBS) was
Structure developed to support group technology shipbuilding.
(Element) 111 - Shell Plating, Surface PWBS subdivides work in accordance with an interim
Ship and Submarine product view. Parts and sub-assemblies are grouped by
Pressure Hull common permanent characteristics, and classified by
(Element) 112 - Shell Plating, both design and manufacturing attributes. The
Submarine Nonpressure classification system typically specifies parameters, such
Hull as form, dimensions, tolerances, material, and types and
(Subgroup) 120 - Hull Structural Bulkheads complexity of production machinery operations.
(Element) 121 - Longitudinal Structural Classification by product aspects relates a part or sub-
Bulkheads assembly to a zone of a ship and also to work processes
(Element) 122 - Transverse Structural by problem area and by work stage.
Bulkheads
A shipbuilder's PWBS is hardware or product oriented,
Table 2 : An Example of the ESWBS Organisation and is consistent with the methods of planning,
scheduling, and construction actually being used by the
6. SFI GROUP SYSTEM shipbuilder. The PWBS used on a particular shipbuilding
program is based on the products produced and on the
The SFI group system was developed at the Norwegian coding system used by the shipbuilder. PWBS provides a
Ship Research Institute (Senter for Forskningsdrevet natural breakdown for schedule reporting and for
Innovasjon - SFI), now known as MARINTEK. The SFI collection of financial data.
group system is an international standard which is used
for a functional breakdown of technical and economic First, PWBS divides the shipbuilding process into three
information of ships and offshore structures. It structures basic types of work : hull construction, outfitting, and
and systemizes all the ship’s different systems and painting, because each imposes its own unique set of
components through a 3-digit coding structure. Through manufacturing problems. These types of work are further
the ships’ lifetime, the SFI coding system is used for subdivided into fabrication and assembly classifications.
different purposes, like control of shipping, offshore or Within the painting classification, fabrication applies to
shipbuilding operations. In cost management, this the manufacture of paint, and assembly refers to its
structure works as a cost work breakdown structure. application. The assembly subdivisions are naturally
linked to zones (see next section “Zone Work
The ship is divided into 10 main groups from 0 to 9, but Breakdown Structure” and Figure 3).
often only main group 1-8 are used (refer Table 3). Main
group 0 and 9 are extra posts where the user can address Second, PWBS classifies interim products in accordance
costs related to the ship that does not fit into the other with their resource needs :
main groups. The main groups are divided into 2-digit
groups which are again divided into 3-digit subgroups.  Material : e.g., steel plate, machinery, cable, etc.
 Manpower : e.g., welder, fitter, rigger,
SFI Group Description transporter, etc.
0 (reserved)  Facilities : e.g., buildings, docks, machinery,
1 Ship General tools, etc.
2 Hull  Expenses : e.g., designing, transportation, sea
3 Equipment for Cargo trials, etc.
4 Ship Equipment
5 Equipment for Crew and Third, PWBS classifies interim products by the four
Passengers product aspects needed for control of production
6 Machinery Main Components processes. Two of these, system and zone, are related to
7 Systems for Machinery Main the ship design function while the other two, area and
Components stage, are related to the production function. These four
8 Ship Common Systems terms many be defined as follows :
9 (reserved)
 System - A structural or an operational
Table 3 : SFI Groups characteristic of a product, e.g., longitudinal or
transverse bulkhead, fuel-oil service system,
deck lighting system, etc.

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

 Zone - An objective of production which is any AWBS is also defined for a shipyard (not ship) based on
geographical division of a product, e.g., engine segregation of work (e.g., by feature, by work type, etc.)
room, cargo hold, operations room, etc., and as explained in the previous section.
their sub-divisions, or combinations (e.g., a
structural block or outfit unit, a subassembly of Zone logic significantly enhances the efficiency and
either and ultimately, a part or component). productivity of design and production work by taking
 Area - A division of the production process into advantage of the underlying similarities in the products
similar types of work problems which can be or subassemblies, those common characteristics
- by feature (e.g., curved vs. flat panel, small classified by both design and production attributes.
diameter vs. large diameter pipe, etc.)
- by quantity (e.g., job-by-job vs. flow lane, Zone logic technology concepts dictate that work be
etc.) planned and executed under a priority scheme :
- by quality (e.g., grade of workers or
facilities required, etc.) 1. Divide work into geographical zones carefully
- by work type (e.g., marking, cutting, considering the nature of the problems that are
bending, welding, painting, testing, etc.), involved,
and 2. Develop a zone oriented product and interim
- by anything else that creates a manifestly product work breakdown structure,
different work problem. 3. Properly sequence the work to be accomplished by
 Stage – Various sequences in the production stage and area,
cycle, e.g., preparation, fabrication, assembly, 4. Plan final systems tests as necessary.
etc.
Shipbuilding methods have consistently become more
8. ZONE WORK BREAKDOWN productive during the last few decades mainly because of
STRUCTURE (ZWBS) the change from traditional system-oriented processes to
the following zone-oriented processes :
A zone is defined as a volume of the seaframe that
provides space, structural support, and services required  Hull Block Construction Method (HBCM),
to perform a function, or a group of similar  Zone Outfitting Method (ZOFM), and
interchangeable functions located therein. Zones share  Zone Painting Method (ZPTM).
the following :
HBCM planners define interim products starting with a
 Similar Environment hull as a zone, thence subdividing it into block zones
 Similar Functions which in turn are divided into sub-block zones and so on.
 Bundled Services The process is completed when zones are defined that
cannot be further subdivided, i.e., zones which
Examples of zones defined in ships to address particular correspond to parts. The nature of any of these zones
functions or services are Fire zone, Collision zone, associates it with a specific manufacturing level. This
Electronics zone, Weapons zone, Underwater Sensor regimentation is natural for hull construction but not so
zone, etc. Each zone has unique features and for outfitting.
characteristics that help define and distinguish it from
other types of zones. The Zone Outfitting Method (ZOFM) is a natural
consequence of HBCM because both employ the same
A ship is also divided into design zones for easier logic. Shipyards which employ ZOFM assemble most
management of the ship’s design and construction, and to outfit components independent of or on hull blocks.
aid design review. This is a spatial or geographical
division of the ship. Each zone is designed with all The Zone Painting Method (ZPTM) is a natural
piping, wiring, outfitting, machinery, and furniture to be extension of the logic employed in both HBCM and
contained within that zone. During design review, the ZOFM. It transfers much painting work, traditionally
reviewers can “see” all of the ship, including its interior performed in a building dock or at an outfit pier, to
structure and all items to be included in the finished ship preceding manufacturing levels (on-block) by integrating
for the zones being reviewed. painting with hull construction and outfitting processes.

Zone Work Breakdown Structure (ZWBS) can also be In ZPTM, a zone is not only defined by compartments
defined based on a spatial breakdown of the ship (more such as decks, cargo holds, engine room, etc., but also by
from the way a ship is constructed), and is sometimes hull blocks, sub-blocks and components. The defined
used interchangeably with Area Work Breakdown hull blocks of ZPTM are identical to the hull blocks
Structure (AWBS) - both show spatial breakdown of the defined for HBCM and ZOFM.
ship. In some shipyards, the AWBS is defined for Design
Zones, which are again spatial.

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

9. LIFECYCLE PHASES AFTER SHIP structure should support both class- and individual- level
DELIVERY product structures and couple them together.

Before analysing information requirements of ship Information model for supporting ship product structures
product structure in the lifecycle phases after ship is discussed in section 11.
delivery, it is worth comparing abstraction level of
product structure data used in the design/manufacturing 10. DECOMMISSIONING
phases with that of product structure data in the
operations and maintenance (O&M) phases. Objects Decommissioning and disposal activities present their
represented in product structure in the design phase are own unique set of challenges, and the legal obligations
classes, abstract objects which do not exist in the real required of operators and those contracted with the work
world. They specify shape, physical characteristics, and are demanding and detailed. Maintaining complete
functional characteristics that members (or individuals) compliance and operational best practices is fundamental
of a class must have, e.g., centrifugal pump type A. On to the success of the entire decommissioning process,
the other hand, individuals which exist at specific time- which means operators and the contractors assigned need
space in the real world should be managed in product to carefully plan, execute and follow-up the
structure in the O&M phase in addition to classes. For decommissioning work.
example, it is required to monitor and trace installation
time, repair history, and current status of a real pump Decommissioning is also very important in offshore and
with tag number 0000001. for nuclear powered ships/submarines. To keep the
length of this paper within reasonable limits, this topic is
In the O&M phase, after O&M master plan is first not discussed further. Only an example of the work
established from design and manufacturing data of a breakdown structure for dismantling of a nuclear
product, O&M works are performed according to this submarine is given below (Figure 2) :
master plan, of which history is also managed. The O&M
master plan links to class-level product structure while
the O&M history connects to individual-level product
structure. Therefore, information model of ship product

Fig. 2 : A Work Breakdown Structure for Dismantling of a Nuclear Submarine (LRW : Liquid Radioactive Waste,
SRW : Solid Radioactive Waste)

11. INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS OF Definition of complete and accurate work breakdown

SHIP PRODUCT STRUCTURES structures of a ship is an important and critical activity in
every shipbuilding project. This is required in every stage

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

of a ship project, right from the inquiry and concept design (under initial and basic design phases) and is
design stage, to basic, detail and production design, and characterized by the layout of major distributive systems
continues through definition of as-built structure, into 3D and the arrangement of key compartments or
maintenance work breakdown structure, etc., right up to areas , e.g., the machinery spaces.
defining work breakdown structures for
decommissioning. In systems trees (like Ship or Systems Work Breakdown
Structures in Figure 3), each parent product or
Views on the same product are different from each other component part is associated with its system. In block
depending on lifecycle phases or application purposes, tree (Product Work Breakdown Structure in Figure 3),
which lead to different product structures for the same each parent product or component part is associated with
product. Ship product structure evolves from a rough its block. For outfitting work, each outfitting parent
structure to more detailed structures during the course of product or component part is associated with a virtual
a project – from system-oriented product views in the Zone Work Breakdown Structure which is a zone tree
conceptual and basic design phases to block-oriented (refer Figure 3).
product views in the detailed design phase, to zone-
oriented product views in the manufacturing design In outfitting work, usually different types of equipment,
phase. Later, near the end of the contract, the i.e., a mechanical part, electrical part and piping part, are
transformation back to a system orientation occurs to assigned to the same zone since all the
permit overall ship evaluation, in terms of both systems installation/assembly operations are associated with the
performance and cost performance. The information same zone. When the work breakdown structure of a hull
model of ship product structures should be able to block and zone is generated in process planning, the
support these multiple product views. outfitting system is divided into manufacturing parts and
installation parts that are connected to the block and zone
In pre-design (initial/contract) design, basic design and structures.
detail design phase, the product tree for outfitting is
defined based upon the SWBS (System Work In addition to supporting multiple product views, the
Breakdown Structure) which is composed of the information model for defining ship work breakdown
functional unit of the outfitting equipment. The early structures should associate the product structure with the
stage of ship design is the basis for developing the product data. The product data includes not only
product structure and SWBS since the ship consists only information of Product, Process, Resource, and
of systems. A hull block tree, outfitting equipment, Production schedule but also 2D drawing, document,
building specification, and schematic P&ID, for example, production method and the attributes of each component.
are linked to the product structure represented by SWBS. Specifying the sequence of processes required to obtain
the product as well as the materials and resources (work
During production design phase, the product is designed centers) required for each process would lead to the
based on the hull block structure on which units or parts development of Bill of Process (BOP) and Bill of
of outfitting equipment are installed, which depends on Resources (BOR). So the generic work breakdown
block division planning. During this phase, production structure diagram shown in Figure 3 can be expanded
information such as process (stage), workplace and further (to the right) to add trees for Bill of Process and
production schedule is determined. This stage of design Bill of Resources. However, this is not elaborated further
is used to define the actual geometry of interim products in this paper because of the limitations in showing a very
that capture the joining of blocks, the mounting of outfit big diagram. The information model should allow
and equipment items, the process plan, and production components of each product structure to be linked
schedule. together as the ship project progresses so that their
evolution can be traced (the blue arrows in Figure 3 show
The design phase which expresses the system structure to this link or associativity), and should allow full
the block and zone of the hull structure in the 3D traceability at any point in time.
geometry is also called transition design phase.
Transition design starts part way through functional

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

Fig. 3 : Generic Ship Work Breakdown Structures (blue arrows indicate associativity between items as the
design evolves)

12. COMPONENT BASED DESIGN (4GD) marine/shipbuilding with the release of Teamcenter 10.1
and NX 9.0. The underlying component-based design
A new Component-Based approach based on 4th technology is called 4th Generation Design, or 4GD.
generation of design (4GD) technology built into a PLM
system to manage ship data allows for the definition of A ship or a submarine has millions of parts, and in the
different but linked work breakdown structures of a ship 4GD solution, these are represented by Design Elements.
through its different lifecycle stages. Siemens PLM has A Design Element can be a structural steel member (like
implemented a Component Based Design solution for a stiffener or a bracket), a pipe piece, a weld, an instance

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

of a standard part (e.g., flange), an individual length of In Component-Based Design, there is no product-level
HVAC duct, or a specific cable hanger. assembly structure. A Design Element is a declared
member of a Collaborative Design – it is not a child of a
A Collaborative Design is an overall collection of Design Collaborative Design. So the millions of Design
Elements. It is a single container for all the design data Elements that comprise the members of a Collaborative
that comprises a ship or a class of ships. A Design Design are essentially a large flat collection of design
Element is an independently managed occurrence of data.
design data within a Collaborative Design. The design
data is authored and modified by a multi-disciplinary Partitions provide a way for a user to organize product
team of contributors, and is available for downstream data (Design Elements) in a traditional hierarchical
use, e.g., manufacturing. manner as per the requirement. As explained earlier, in
shipbuilding different product views are required as ship
Each Design Element has a specific business purpose and design proceeds, so there are multiple work breakdown
is managed independently in the following ways : structures like ESWBS, PWBS, AWBS, ZWBS, etc. So
each of these different product views or work breakdown
 Has its own access privileges (i.e., read/write) structures are defined as different Partition Schemes.
 Has its own maturity status (i.e., in work, being Partition Scheme hierarchies provide a logical way to
checked, released) organize the millions of Design Elements in multiple
 Has its own position in ship coordinates ways. A Collaborative Design can have one or more
 Has its own set of attributes (e.g., pump Partition Schemes for organizing data. This is explained
operating pressure for each pump instance) in Figure 4 below. There is no limit to the number of
 Has its own revision history Partition Schemes which can be defined for a
 Has its own unit effectivity Collaborative Design, which means any number of work
 Has its own locking status (checked out / breakdown structures or views of a ship can be
generated. Figures 5 to 7 show different Partition
checked in)
Schemes representing ESWBS, AWBS and PWBS for a
Multi Role Vessel (MRV).

Fig. 4 : Collaborative Design, Partitions and Partition Schemes

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

Fig. 5 : System Partition Scheme (ESWBS) for a Multi Role Vessel (MRV)

A Design Element may be a member of multiple partition Partitions hierarchies are navigated as an indented tree,
hierarchies, and may also appear in more than one which provides a convenient and natural way to browse
partition node within a single partition hierarchy. For and navigate product data.
example, in a system-based partition hierarchy (like
ESWBS), a generator is part of an electrical power The Design Element is also a versatile object where the
system, generator cooling system, and the fuel system. business decides the level of detail needed for each type
The same generator is also in the engine compartment of design data in the overall ship design. For example,
zone in a zone-based partition hierarchy (like ZWBS). each pump assembly unit placed on different ship decks
can be its own Design Element, all steel plates
The design data does not change while creating and throughout the entire ship can each be a Design Element,
modifying the partition hierarchies. Partitions are used each Weld can be a Design Element, and even the hull
only to organize the Design Elements into multiple surface definition can be managed as a Design Element.
views. In addition, Partitions can be populated manually The shipbuilder has the option to decide the level of
(i.e., user assigns a Design Element as a member of a granularity for independently managed critical design
specific Partition), or Partitions can be populated data, and defines these as the Design Elements in the ship
dynamically (i.e., a Partition declares a Design Element Collaborative Design.
to be its member because the Design Element lies within
a specified volume area, or the Design Element has a
certain attribute value defined).

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

Fig. 6 : Area Partition Scheme (AWBS) for the MRV (Green lines show Area Boundaries in Drawing)

Fig. 7 : Product Partition Scheme (PWBS) for the MRV (Red dotted lines show Block Boundaries in
Drawing)

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

Taking the example of the Product Partition Scheme individual part level. The individual part is a Design
(PWBS) of the Multi Role Vessel shown in Fig. 7 above Element as explained at the beginning of this section.
further, we can expand the PWBS to lower levels for This is shown in Figures 8 to 11 below.
definition of the interim products right up to the

Fig. 8 : PWBS for the MRV showing one Grand Block

Fig. 9 : PWBS for the MRV showing Blocks

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

Fig. 10 : PWBS for the MRV showing Sub-Block

Fig. 11: PWBS for the MRV showing Assembly, Sub-Assemblies, and Fabricated Parts (up to the Design
Element level)

A careful observation of the Partition Schemes shown in easy to define and assess alternate build strategies in
Figures 4 and 7 will show that they represent two 4GD using Partition Schemes.
different Product Work Breakdown Structure (PWBS)
for the same ship (MRV). This in effect means the two It is not necessary to define partition hierarchies prior to
PWBSs are for two different build strategies. So it is very the start of a project or program. While some partition
hierarchies may be fully understood at the start of a

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

program, there is no penalty or design impact for (4GD) technology with Teamcenter PLM backbone
defining a new partition while a program is already in addresses these requirements.
progress, and no impact for extending and/or altering an
existing partition hierarchy. Moreover, since Partitions 15. REFERENCES
are completely separate from the design data of the
Design Elements, the partition assignment of Design 1. BMT Defence Services, ‘White Paper : The
Elements can be easily changed. Procurement of Naval and Government Ships’,
http://www.bmtdsl.co.uk/media/1058725/BMTD
13. 4GD AND PLM SL-Naval-Ship-Procurement-Whitepaper.pdf

The Siemens PLM 4GD component-based design 2. MARCANTONIO, Raymond T., SANFORD, E.
solution is fully immersed in the Teamcenter PLM Gregory, TILLMAN, David S., LEVINE,
backbone. This effectively integrates shipbuilding- Andrew J., ‘Addressing the Design Challenges
capable design tools within a rich PLM backbone, and of Open System Architecture Systems on U.S.
provides the ability to effectively manage not only the Navy Ships – Building Out of the Box’,
design information for a given ship, but the whole http://media.bmt.org/bmt_media/resources/39/m
product development process, including the design itself astpapervariablegeomfinalv8.pdf
and all related information across the lifecycle for
families of ships as they evolve. 3. DOERRY, Capt. Norbert H., ‘Systems
Engineering and Zonal Ship Design’,
Apart from the ability to define different product views http://www.doerry.org/norbert/papers/060501Sy
(or WBS) of a ship, submarine or offshore structure as it stemsEngineeringZonalShipDesign.pdf
evolves through its lifecycle, there are several other
advantages of the Siemens PLM 4GD component-based 4. LEE, Jang Hyun, KIM, Seung Hyun, LEE,
design solution as below : Kyungho, ‘Integration of evolutional BOMs for
design of ship outfitting equipment’, Computer-
 Management of End-to-End Product Data across Aided Design 44 (2012) 253-273
the Product Lifecycle
 Workflow automation and Change Management 5. MUN, Duhwan, DO Namchul, CHOI
 Versioning and Controlled Evolution of Product Wooyoung, ‘Information model of ship product
Data structure supporting operation and maintenance
 Ship / Hull effectivity / Carry over within ship after ship delivery’, PLM11 8th International
class or from sister ships Conference on Product Lifecycle Management,
 Enable multiple users collaborating or working 2011.
in parallel on alternative designs without
duplication 6. ‘Chapter 7 – Earned Value Management’,
 Capture of stable product baselines for http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Docum
certification of contract milestones and support ents/SUPSHIP/SOM/Ch%20%207%20-
for historical configuration %20Earned%20Value%20Management.pdf,
2011.
 Support for Multi-CAD design content and
flexible round-trip supplier data exchange
7. MORRIS, Brett, ‘A Process to Establish the
Common Functions Performed by a Multi-Role
14. CONCLUSION
Vessel’, Maritime Platforms Division, DSTO,
Australia, 2010.
Recent trends in the engineering information
management technology of the shipbuilding industry are
characterized by the spread of the product lifecycle 8. DALPIAZ, Theresa M., MILLER, Gerald,
McQUILLAN, Darren, EMMRICH, Martin,
management (PLM) concept and an increased demand on
‘Conducting A Human Factors Engineering 3-D
better use of ship engineering data after ship delivery.
Product structure data, explicit hierarchical assembly Computer Modeling Ship Design Review’,
http://media.bmt.org/bmt_media/resources/39/C
structures representing assemblies and the constituents of
onductingaHFE3-
those assemblies, form the backbone of all engineering
DCopmuterModelingShipDesignReview.pdf
data managed by PLM systems. Since core information
managed by PLM systems is product structure, a suitable
9. BRESLER, Stewart, STRUCKO, Amy,
information model which can efficiently define and
SICKING, Paul, ‘Next-Generation Design
manage the various ship work breakdown structures
Paradigm for Shipbuilders’, SIEMENS White
through different ship life cycle stages is required. The
new Component Based Design solution for Paper, 2013
marine/shipbuilding based on 4th generation of design
10. SAWE, ‘Weight Estimating and Margin Manual

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects

International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding 2015, Bremen, Germany

For Marine Vehicles’, International Society of

Allied Weight Engineers, Inc., U.S., 2001

11. SCOTT, Jaime A., ‘A Strategy for Modelling

the Design-Development Phase of a Product’
(Thesis), University of Newcastle, 1999.

12. U.S. DoD, ‘Department of Defense Handbook –

Work Breakdown Structure’, MIL-HDBK-881,
1998.

13. NASA, ‘Work Breakdown Structure

Reference Guide’, National Aeronautics and
Space Administration, U.S., 1994.

14. NSRP, ‘Strategizing and Executing the

Implementation and Utilization of Zone
Technology at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard’,
Naval Surface Warfare Center, U.S., 1989.

15. HEFFRON , John S., ‘The Impact of Group

Technology-based Shipbuilding Methods on
Naval Ship Design and Acquisition Practices’
(Thesis), Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
1988.

16. BRADLEY, Cecil D., ‘A Statistical Analysis of

Surface Escort Cost Estimation’ (Thesis), Naval
Postgraduate School, U.S., 1988

17. NSRP, ‘Painting On-block – The Zone Painting

Method Advantage’, Naval Surface Warfare
Center, U.S., 1986

18. U.S. Department of Commerce – Maritime

Administration & Todd Pacific Shipyards
Corporation, ‘Product Work Breakdown
Structure’, Naval Surface Warfare Center, U.S.,
1980.

16. AUTHORS BIOGRAPHY

Malay Pal currently holds the position of Director –

Shipbuilding in the Industries group of Siemens Industry
Software. He is responsible for solution consulting
activities for the shipbuilding, marine and offshore
industry, and is a member of the dedicated global team in
Siemens Industry Software for the marine industry.

Malay’s previous experience includes 12 years working

with IBM in a variety of roles including leading IBM’s
activities in the shipbuilding and marine industry in India
and the Asia Pacific. He has over 25 years’ experience in
working with the shipbuilding industry, both naval
(warships, submarines) and commercial, in the areas of
design, construction and data management.

© 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects