Avondale Alliance Uses Intergraph Systems to Deploy Production Integrated Product Data Environment For LPD 17

Business Wire, Nov 12, 1998

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 1998--Intergraph Corporation (NASDAQ/NMS:INGR) today announced the first worldwide production implementation of an Integrated Product Data Environment (IPDE). IPDE is the most complete system used in the shipbuilding industry for the design-through-life cycle management of a ship, designed to provide timely, accurate and configuration controlled information to lower total ownership cost. The recently deployed system is being used by the Avondale Alliance to design and build ships for the Navy's LPD 17 Program. IPDE will eventually be deployed on board ship.

Using the Alliance's Wide Area Network and enterprise-wide data management system components, any of the 17 current Alliance sites around the U.S. and the Navy are able to retrieve relevant program information -- such as access and configuration-controlled requirements, documents, drawings, and other deliverables -- from a distributed, but logically centralized repository at the Avondale site. Using the newly deployed Web-enabled interface "LPD Navigator", authorized users can retrieve and review files in their native format. This not only promotes concurrent engineering during ship design, but also helps manage constant engineering changes.

Using Intergraph's hardware and software infrastructure throughout the distributed enterprise, the Alliance has deployed the first production release of the Integrated Product Data Environment (IPDE), which includes computer-aided design, engineering, and manufacturing, data management, life-cycle support, and configuration management capabilities. Working within an Alliance-wide Integrated Process and Product Development environment, Intergraph also provides system implementation and integration services for the LPD 17 Program.

According to Albert L. Bossier, chairman, president, and CEO of Avondale Industries, Inc., "What the deployment of the IPDE means for the LPD 17 Program is that there is now a "bridge" between design, production, and future management functions - as well as Alliance members. We have allowed more time for conceptual design so the on going detail design will be more accurate and the actual construction of the ship will be faster. All of this will result in significant cost savings for the ship throughout its life cycle."

Intergraph CEO, Jim Meadlock stated, "Our first goal is to assist the Avondale Alliance in designing and constructing the LPD 17 class of ships. Intergraph is pleased to have a substantial role in providing the technology that helped implement the IPDE environment."

The Avondale Alliance comprises the prime contractor, Avondale Industries, Inc., Intergraph Corporation, Bath Iron Works Corporation (a subsidiary of General Dynamics), and Raytheon Corporation.

Intergraph is the information technology partner to the Avondale Alliance, providing the computing infrastructure for the engineering and logistics teams designing the LPD 17. The program's information technology requirements include workstations, servers, networking components, shipbuilding and data management software, and system implementation services.

In 1996, the Avondale Alliance was awarded the $641 million contract to design, construct, and support the first ship in the U.S. Navy's LPD 17 Program. The LPD 17 is the Navy's next generation of amphibious assault ships. The award provides for options for two additional ships, with a contract price for the three ships in excess of $1.5 billion.

The Product Components

The integration between Intergraph's world class 3D modeling system (Integrated Ship Design and Production System- ISDP) and its Asset and Information Management (AIM) enterprise-wide data management system is accomplished through an Intergraph shipbuilding specific product called Ship Information Repository (SIR). SIR is a commercial off-the-shelf data management tool developed by Intergraph and built on its AIM product suite. AIM is an Intergraph product built on SDRC's Metaphase engine. The Navy Industry Digital Data Exchange Standards Committee (NIDDESC) has published a series of application protocols (APs) that define various aspects of ship design and production. SIR has implemented many of the NIDDESC Configuration Management AP concepts, including the overall model of the interaction of objects and relationships in a robust, customizable, data-centric product model of the ship.

Intergraph Background Information

A computer industry pioneer, Intergraph Corporation provides comprehensive IT solutions for the ship design, construction, and management, process and building, utilities and transportation industries, and local and national governments. For desktop or enterprise solutions, Intergraph offers software, computers, support, consulting, and training services. Industry analysts consistently rank Intergraph as a top solutions provider in the markets the company has served for three decades. Intergraph, the leading supplier of computer-aided design systems to the U.S. Navy, brings an additional dimension to the LPD 17 program and continues to strengthen its position in the shipbuilding community. Intergraph won all three of the competitively-bid, long-term Navy contracts for NAVSEA, NAVAIR/SPAWAR, and Facilities CAD-2 with an approximate contract value of $1.2 billion.