Unfolder plate development

Plate parts are manufactured by cutting them from flat raw plates. Because of this, non-planar plates such as the curved plates in a ship's shell need to be flattened, or unfolded, to enable manufacturing.

The AVEVA Unified Engineering Unfolder capability allows the user to transform a three-dimensional plate into a planar shape. This unfolded planar geometry is calculated so that, after forming, the plate fits within its intended spatial boundaries. By defining the appropriate unfolder options for a plate, the system provides not only the required geometric representation but also additional manufacturing data to support workshop processes.

Plate Development methods

There are two unfolder methods available.

• Classic: Used to develop curved plates that are on sculpted surfaces, such as the outer mainhull surface of a ship. These plates are often single or double-curved.

  

• Single curved: Used to develop single curved plates on analytical closed surfaces, such as cylinder and cones. For example, cylindrical plates in the bow thruster tunnel, and generalized cones.

  For these types of plates, unrestricted strip planes can intersect the plate edges multiple times. These conditions are automatically handled by the system as part of the unfolding calculation.

  

  Boundary limits (A and C) and a seam (B), must be defined. A seam is required to open and unfold the shape. This seam is referenced twice to create a closed definition.

The appropriate method along with its corresponding properties must be assigned to each plate that requires unfolding. See Set plate unfolding specifications for more information.

Manufacturing considerations

Various methods are used to give the raw unfolded plates their required curvature. The most common method in traditional shipbuilding is contraction, where the plate is shaped by controlled heating and cooling to induce shrinkage at specific locations. Alternative approaches involve forming by expansion, typically through the application of global or localized pressure.

The forming process may consist of several stages, such as initial rolling, heating and/or cooling, local rolling or pressure application, and final verification and adjustment using templates.

The Plate Development capability in AVEVA Unified Engineering can be adapted to support these different forming methods. It provides not only the unfolded geometry but also additional information required for manufacturing, such as the size of the raw plate, its contraction or expansion requirements, and the details of its final curvature.