@conference {3350, title = {3350. Combining Bulb Shapes and Metric Plate Thickness With ""Standard"" Shapes and Plate Sizes To Obtain Lightweight Structure}, booktitle = {64th Annual Conference, Annapolis, Maryland}, year = {2005}, month = {5/14/05}, pages = {9}, publisher = {Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Inc.}, organization = {Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Inc.}, type = {13. WEIGHT ENGINEERING - MARINE}, address = {Annapolis, Maryland}, abstract = {Think ?outside the box? for Weight Reduction candidates In many instances, unique or challenging design processes are crippled by inadvertent comments and/or close-minded opinions. How many times has it been heard, ?We?ve always done it this way? or, ?It?ll never work?? Far too often, answers to design challenges are overlooked, or simply stifled by comments similar to these. A design team must step back, regroup, and look at the problem(s) from anew. Note the word ?team?. No matter how difficult a problem, others (and possibly even less skilled) may surprisingly have the answers. Team players can help here. As a team of diversified members, they are acquainted with the design nature, and can focus on the situation knowing the desired end result. Thinking ?Outside of the Box? is a great statement that allows design creativity. Once the smoke clears from the starting of the program, it?s time to seriously focus on the end result: delivery of the product to the customer. It is here, in the beginning, when the Weight Engineer truly makes a difference. Being part of the design team from the start will enable the Weight Engineer to enlighten the other team members about the weight status, which will minimize cost/schedule effects design changes may bring. Further, the Weight Engineer can give insight from a different approach, which can aid in proper decision making bringing success to the project. It was because of this team environment that Marinette Marine was able to successfully complete the structural design for the Improved Naval Lighterage System (INLS), which is currently under construction for the United States Navy.}, keywords = {13. Weight Engineering - Marine}, url = {https://www.sawe.org/papers/3350/buy}, author = {R. Alan Bird} }