The Canadian Department of Defence has recently awarded a multi-year contract to industry for the development of the Improved Ship Structural Maintenance Management (ISSMM) Software Tool (IST). The team conducting the work is led by Xwave Solutions, a software developer, with Fleet Technology Limited of Kanata Ontario and Martec Limited of Halifax as primary domain experts, and MIL Systems in a support role.

This project is the culmination of many years of development effort by DND and industry to produce a package that will allow the engineers responsible for the maintenance decisions for Canadian warships to carryout rapid assessment of the impact on operations of structural damage or degradation. Using advanced analysis methods, climatological data and projected operations, and applying damage assessment techniques and risk- based management decisions, the user will have the information needed to make informed decisions about repair, docking and operating envelopes.

The IST contract requires the development of a software suite, integrating existing codes for FE meshing and analysis, seakeeping, etc, and embodying an object-oriented database and user interface structure. Emphasis is placed on user friendly features and software standards. The ISSMM project ($4.5M) goes beyond the IST contract. ISSMM seeks to validate the IST through sea trials and has included the development of specialist tools for measuring residual stresses.