Original Date: 05/23/1994
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Engineering computer workstations and advanced visualization tools such as CAD have enabled Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Keyport to provide more efficient, tightly packaged systems. Electrical schematics, PCB layouts, wiring diagrams and photomaster generation are now all constructed on computers using integrated software modules. Finite element analysis, as well as other related CAE investigative techniques, are performed utilizing computer models generated by design engineers and draftsmen. This CAE capability enables Keyport engineers to perform stress, thermal or flow analysis on complex components with a high degree of precision.

NUWC Keyport currently has a full solid modeling CAD capability utilized by dozens of engineers. These systems are used for new design, reverse engineering, analysis modeling and production of entire Technical Documentation Packages. NUWC Keyport engineers are fully trained in the latest drawings standards including Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerencing (GD & T).

Currently, significant effort is being made to perform reverse engineering services for a variety of customers. These efforts enable Keyport engineers to produce TDP’s for customers with assets, but no documentation. The resulting TDP includes detail drawings, schematics, printed circuit board descriptions and geometric part models. With this comprehensive TDP, the customer is provided all the technical information required to produce the item. For mechanical CAD, Keyport has the ability to provide computer part models in IGES, Step, DWG and STL formats. The final part of this process is the ability to produce a rapid prototyping part utilizing Keyport’s Selective Laser Sintering system to produce a nylon or metal part directly from the part model.

Keyport estimates the number of drawings created by a single draftsman has increased by 25%, engineering design time has been reduced an estimated 20%, finished electrical PCB projects are estimated to be 60% more efficient, and the in-house finite element analysis solver and graphical pre- and post-processor have resulted in a savings of over 90%.

Keyport is now able to develop designs that take full advantage of modern, multi-axis, numerical controlled machine tools. Complex surfaces such as propellers, tapered torpedo sections, and spherical pressure vessels are routinely modeled with absolute accuracy. Changes to drawing packages, especially those with large numbers of interrelated components are achieved in a fraction of the time it once required. The CAD/CAM/CAE system which Keyport now utilizes has played an increasingly significant role in daily operations and expects to expand in the future.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.