A project deliverable is first created as an assembly structure. Items in an assembly structure are usually
shown in the order, as they are physically connected to each other. The assembly structure is important and the
main structure for project deliverables. The assembly structure enables calculations of required quantities,
required dates and planned costs. Material can be reserved to parent items, by using the project deliverables
assembly structure. The assembly structure is also the structure for which the material plan is created and
additional plans, such as estimate, work and shipment. The assembly structure is created when entering components
in Project Deliverables Design/Components. The project deliverables assembly structure is
also created when copied from PDM, copied from product structure and when copied from an item configuration.
The assembly structure is important, but sometimes there is a need to show items in other types of structures.
These additional structures can be defined by using navigation models. Navigational models create an alternative
way of explaining a project deliverable structure. Navigational models consist of attribute values and could have
names like facility, part of facility, building, room, area, segment, ship, and sections etc. These navigation
models together with its attribute values are manually created. What attributes values to create, differs between
industry standards, company procedures, engineering disciplines and the purpose of the model. In a navigation
model, project deliverable items are grouped together by using attribute values. For example, group project
deliverable items together, by using attributes values such as: facility, part of facility, building, floor level,
room, area, segment, ship, sections, to create a location structure.
A detailed example can be like this: In ship building industry, ship hull is created by welding
pre-fabricated sections together. Entire multi-deck segments of the hull or superstructure will be built elsewhere
in the yard, transported to the building dock or slipway, then lifted into place. This is known as "block
construction". The most modern shipyards pre-install equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other
components within each section, to minimize the effort needed to assemble or install components deep within the
hull, once it is welded together. At this stage, section act as a temporary location. A navigation model with
attribute values for sections can be created. Steel, equipment, pipes, electrical cables and any other components
can now be connected to sections.
Once the Hull is set up, actual locations like top deck, fore deck, main deck, control room, engine room start to
exist. Equipment, pipes, electrical cables and any other component can now be connected to new attribute values
like engine room, emergency generator and control room in a new navigation model. This structure is now used for
the commissioning, operation and maintenance. The structure of the navigation model and connected components can
now be copied to Asset Design and Maintenance (Equipment).
The temporary model for the pre-fabrication of sections and the model for the operation and maintenance can coexist. There is no limit in how many navigation models a project deliverable structure can be connected to.
Navigation model - Created in three steps:
Navigation model - Examples
| Temporary location structure to show the prefabrication of sections during the construction phase | |
| Attribute values | Deliverable items and components are connected to attribute values |
| Section 1 | Pre-installed equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other components in section 1. |
| Section 2 | Pre-installed equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other components in section 2. |
| Section 3 | Pre-installed equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other components in section 3. |
| Final location structure for the operation and maintenance phase | |
| Attribute values | Deliverable items and components are connected to attribute values |
| Engine room | Equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other components in the engine room. |
| Main deck | Equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other components on the main deck |
| Control room | Equipment, pipes, electrical cables, and any other components in the control room. |
Navigation model - Templates
Navigation Model templates provide an easy way to create navigation models. A navigation model can also be saved as a template.
Navigation model - Copy to Asset Design and Equipment
A complete navigation model with attribute values, deliverable items and components can be copied to Asset Design and Equipment. A navigation model can be copied as a function structure to Equipment. A navigation model can be copied as a function, location, process, pipe system, from/to and electrical structure to Asset Design. These structures can then be transferred two-ways between Asset Design and Equipment.