Donn McKinney has been obsessed with large battleships for more than 30 years. Now, thanks to his diligence and dexterity with 3D CAD software, he's close to producing an operational replica of the USS Missouri that he hopes will help spark others' interest in the venerable vessels.
McKinney, a mechanical design engineer by trade, got started on this project back in 1977 about the time he launched his career in electronics packaging. McKinney has always been captivated by large battleships, and even as a kid, he devoted hours to building plastic ship models while other kids preferred model kits of cars or planes. Initially, McKinney painstakingly sketched out the Missouri model by hand, but when he went to work at Xerox and got introduced to its CAD system, he realized it was time to transfer his efforts to the digital world and start the task of creating a 3D model.
Based on a full-scale model he created in SolidWorks, Donn McKinney is building a 1/32nd scale replica of the USS Missouri battleship, which, when finished, will be nearly 28 feet long.
Rather than a flat 2D paper sketch, the 3D digital model lets McKinney visualize the whole ship -- a development that made him intent on designing the full-scale 3D model. Once complete (he's about 80 percent there), the CAD model, which he's creating in SolidWorks, will serve as the roadmap to build physical, scaled-down replicas that he hopes become museum pieces or get used to engage the general public.
"I've always believed that naval history is held real close to a nation's heart," McKinney told us in an interview. "If you can have a 19-foot model behaving and acting like the real ship, it could provide a sense of what the ships were like, because they're not around anymore. I'm trying to recreate history."
What McKinney is really trying to recreate is the USS Missouri, a 900-foot battleship commissioned on June 11, 1944, which was part of bombing raids over Tokyo and provided firepower in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Leveraging microfilm records of the Missouri in addition to plans, photographs, and drawings from partner The Floating Drydock, McKinney has spent what he estimates is around two to three years of manpower to create a full-scale 3D model in SolidWorks, including leveraging the Simulation Xpress FEA module to simulate the behavior of various parts of the model.
"SolidWorks allows me to create something that is full scale and then scale it down as well as put in features like motors, sensors, and transducers so it operates like a real model," McKinney explains.
Thanks, Beth, that's what I thought. It would be interesting to find out what, if any, upper limits there are on complexity for 3D printing. Does anyone know if there's some kind of gauge to use?
I think that was what I was getting at in my comments earlier. I think you're right Ann--I'm not so sure current 3D printing capabilities could produce an entire ship of this complexity. Even though it is a scaled model, it's still pretty complex in terms of components and integrated systems.
I'm not sure what the most complex 3D printed model/component has been. I do know we've reported on the Urbee EV vehicle from KOR Logic, which was 3D printed for the prototyping stage. But even with that example, it wasn't all the components of the vehicle that were 3D printed--just the main body components.
I think Jack's question is an interesting one. Beth, do you think 3D printing is capable of handling such a complex CAD model? For that matter, what is the most complex CAD model 3D printers can handle? In interviews for my December feature on AM
That might be a good marketing opportunity for the printer companies, to partner with somebody like this. The battleship model will probably get a lot cross-market media attention and they could demonstrate what their products can do.
That's definitely an interesting idea, Jack, and one that's likely viable. It would really depend on whether this crew has access to 3D printing technology, which you know is expensive. I don't think the size or the materials would preclude the use of 3D printers, although the intricacy of all the modules and interconnected components and systems might make it difficult.
To combine a couple of Design News articles.... I wonder if it would be useful, in this case to utilize a 3D printer? Depending upon the material that the printer makes (and the size capability), this might be a good application for it. Here he as the 3D model created and might be able to go directly from virtual to real with a push of a button.
Absolutely, CAD is playing a role in other historical explorations--ship building or otherwise. We've reported in the past on 3D tools like CAD and visualization packages being used to reconstruct archeological sites like the Great Pyramid of Kheops. Specifically, French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin tapped Dassault's 3D solutions to recreate the pyramid construction site in 3D.
Two battleships on one page is almost more than I can take, but that's for traffic reasons. As for the story, this is an excellent, fascinating, and valuable example of historical archaeology brought to life via CAD. Kudos to McKinney. I wonder if there's other work going on regarding ships built centuries earlier, where the CAD tools may help uncover/illuminate mysteries regarding their construction.
The actual battleship is anchored in Pearl Harbor next to the Arizona memorial. It is possible to take a tour of the inner workings of the ship which will let you see inside the gun turrents and engine room. Highly recommended!
The 3D printing revolution seems to have a knack for quickly moving technology ahead by way of collaborative effort and even a little friendly competition -- all of course in the name of scientific advancement.
Laura Sapiens' Ego! Smartmouse offers users a unique interactive experience by providing 2D and 3D connectivity, hardware identity authentication, data storage, and more.
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