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HydroComp, Inc.
September 30, 2013
HydroComp NavCadReleased
Nearly three years of development in this latest NavCad
upgrade
HydroComp NavCad is software for resistance and propulsion that
can be found in thetoolbox of naval architects and marine
professions from around the world. Firstintroduced in 1988, NavCad
has undergone numerous upgrades in its 25-year history. Butnone of
the previous upgrades are more significant and exciting than those
found in this
newly released version of NavCad.
More than just an upgrade for current users, the new NavCad 2013
establishes aframework for ongoing feature development and
improvements in the user experience.The design for this framework
was first sketched out in early 2010. The mandate fromHydroComps
management was simple: to add capabilities and reliability, but in
a way
that simplifies the process and increases user confidence. After
nearly three years ofdevelopment and user testing, the new NavCad
fulfills that mandate.
New technical capabilit ies
HydroComp has an active internal research and development
program with the objectiveof delivering new capabilities for NavCad
and HydroComps other software products.
Many of the R&D projects are in direct response to end-user
requests or HydroCompsown assessment of new industry requirements.
Some of the projects are subtle, andimprove existing calculations.
Others are profound and offer new capabilities where none
have existed before.
Substantial effort has focused on new tools for planing hull
prediction. Built upon a
steady-state equilibrium of forces and moments, NavCads planing
hull analysis nowprovides for the definition of hull warp,
influence of propulsor lift, as well as improvedtrim tab
contributions plus new support for interceptors.
Figure 1 Planing hull developments
Resistance prediction is more than just bare-hull drag, of
course, so new capabilities for
added drag prediction can be found in NavCad. A few examples
include extendeddefinition and drag prediction for appendages,
addition of spray drag for both planing andfast displacement hulls,
and a new Workboat added seas drag prediction.
The first of a number of supplemental prediction methods have
been added for NavCad2013. The first of these is support for
submarines and SWATH vessels.
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The biggest additions to NavCad for propulsion analysis are the
new system prediction
for contra-rotating propellers (CRP), support for non-standard
nozzle geometry, and newprediction for high-performance propellers.
This is supplemented by improvements in
propeller sizing and alignment to propeller model tests.
Increasing user confidenceForecasting vessel resistance and
propulsion performance is a lot like forecasting the
weather. In the absence of direct past experience, engineers
will apply margins that may or may not be appropriate and
necessary. Unnecessary margins can reduce the overalleffectiveness
of a design to meet its mission. So, NavCad now provides new
utilities to
build user confidence in the predictions.
Users can define benchmark vessels for graphical comparison on
NavCads new
Confidence plots for resistance, power, and propulsor
efficiency. On these plots, vesselcategory confidence lines set
down historical best case minimum drag and power
limits. This feedback can be very useful to confirm that the
entire system analysis isproper and reasonable.
Figure 2 Confidence: PBTOTAL plot
Updated interface and enhanced user experience
NavCad now has an improved interface, offering procedural
directives and guidance. The
arrangement of the principal data entry and display groups will
be easily recognized byNavCad users. Leveraging its current layout,
NavCad adds a more attractive table-oriented data entry, as well as
optional color themes to clarify data grouping.
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A new common file format was developed for all HydroComp
products for 2013. It is a
text file based on the JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) syntax.
Of course, full exportand import is supported for legacy NavCad
files, as well as for data from other sources.
Figure 3 HydroComp NavCad interface
About HydroComp
Celebrating its 29th year of operation in 2013, HydroComp
provides software andservices for the performance analysis and
design of marine vehicles to industry, research,
academic, and government clients. The company is proud to have
served over 700customers from more than 60 countries.
For more information, please contact: Donald MacPherson,
Technical DirectorHydroComp, Inc.
13 Jenkins Ct, Suite 200Durham, NH 03824 USA
Tel (603)868-3344Fax (603)868-3366
[email protected]
