Introduction to

NAPA Steel

What is NAPA Steel?

MODELLING

• Modelling ship structures WEIGHT AND COST

• Weight and cost calculation

CAD INTERFACES

• Structural drawings
DRAWINGS

• Interfaces to other CAD systems

RULE INTERFACES

FEM
• Interfaces to class society rules

• FEM meshing

1
Prerequisites
The HULL Surface
should be available

An existing compartment
arrangement can be
utilized

Modelling stages

Surface objects

Hull surface

Structures
Reference surfaces

Rooms

2
Flexible model

• Utilize reference Geometry of surfaces

surfaces

• Utilize framing system Compartments Structures attached

limited by surfaces to surfaces

• Reduce the amount of

surface objects
NAPA Statutory and
NAPA Steel share the
same geometry
• Naming rules and backbone

conventions

Object types with relevant libraries

Object Properties
Main object STT* (structure type)
TAB*MATERIALS
Stiffener TAB*PROFILES
TAB*MATERIALS
Hole TAB*PROFILES
Bracket TAB*BRACKETS
Opening TAB*OPENINGS
Seam TAB*SEAMS
Plate PLATES*
Cutout TAB*CUTOUT
Notch TAB*NOTCHES
Endcut TAB*ENDCODES

3
Basic working order

• Define reference surfaces and surface objects

• Define structure arrangement
• Define stiffeners, brackets and openings
• Define seams and plates
• Define block system

 Steel model ready for output

• Numerical data (weight, cost etc.)
• FEM
• Drawings
• Rule calculation
• Export to other CAD systems

Examples of different kind of structures

4
Getting started

• When the hull surface is ready, the reference dimensions in REF

should be updated to correspond the actual geometry
TASK?>REF
REF?>UPD

• The frame systems should be defined if not done before

REF?>fra xfr0 dx1 fr1 dx2 fr2 dx3 ...
REF?>OK

REF?>long ylong0 dy1 long1 dy2 long2 dy3 ...

REF?>OK

REF?>vert zvert0 dz1 vert1 dz2 vert2 dz3 ...

REF?>OK

Framing systems
• Frame system helps in the definition of rooms and structures by allowing to refer to
frame numbers instead of coordinates
– Referring to frame number is done with prefix #, e.g. #32

• Created in REF task

– Frames # #
– Web frames #WEB #W
– Longitudinals #LONG #L
– Verticals #VERT #V

• Short names (#W, #L and #V) available after command

LW ON has been given in the REF task

• Useful commands to check the frame number or x location:

!FRN x
!FRN #fr
!CAL #fr !CAL #Lfr !CAL #Vfr
!CAL FR(x) !CAL FR(y,3) !CAL FR(z,4)

5
Framing systems

• Frames 0 0.5 3 1.0 6 0.25

X-coordinate of Spacing, frame number,

frame nr. 0 spacing, frame number, ...

Framing systems

• Longitudinals 0 1.0 -3 0.5 3 1.0

Y-coordinate of NOTE! Both sides of the

longitudinal nr. 0 ship are defined

6
Framing systems

• Verticals 6 -1 3 -0.5

• NOTE! Reversed frame scales can

be defined with negative steps

Exercises

1. Update the main dimensions in the reference system

– Set AP to 0

2. Define the frame systems

e.g. REF?>FRA 0 0.75 42 0.8 252 0.75
REF?>LONG 0 0.8 -2 0.9 2 0.8
REF?>VERT 0 0.9