XML Based Format

There is a growing need to build interfaces between shipbuilding software systems so that product data defined in one system can be used in other systems. In order to do so data formats have been defined which can be accepted by the industry and implemented with reasonable efforts.

One such format is TXHSTL, further described below.

TXHSTL describes ship´s steel structures and has the flexibility to transfer steel structure product data on basic, overall level or on a very detailed level.

One of the first applications of TXHSTL is to transfer steel structural data from Structural Design to PrimeShip from ClassNK and Patran/Nastran from MSC.

TXHSTL exists in two versions, one for modelling (input) purposes, called TXHSTL-M, where M stands for Modelling and another one for reporting (output) purposes, called TXHSTL-R. Their main structures are similar, but there are differences in the way the details regarding the plate and profile parts are described. The M version is focused on topology and parameters while the R version focuses on geometry.

The XML based format is further described in Hull Model Concepts. This documentation also includes an explanation of the basic concepts of XML.