In plain terms: Forge is organized as a stack of layers, each with exactly one
job. Lower layers handle trusted inputs and the model of the ship; higher layers
handle reasoning, checking, and learning. This page is the map; each layer has its
own page.
Three operating principles
Every layer below exists to serve one of these three principles:- Sources have authority. Every claim cites. Nothing the system asserts is ungrounded.
- Decisions are first-class objects, not log lines. Every decision is recorded with its full reasoning context and is replayable.
- AI proposes; humans decide; the gate is structural. Anything touching class, USCG, or safety always reaches a human.
The layer stack
Forge is organized as layers, each with one responsibility:| Layer | Name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| L0 | Source & Authority Registry | Classifies every input by authority, version, access policy, and ownership |
| L1 | Ingestion & Normalization | Turns PDFs, CAD metadata, BOMs, rules, and prior files into traceable objects |
| L2 | Maritime Design Ontology | The connected model of vessels, systems, rules, drawings, materials, and evidence |
| L2.5 | Engineering Decision Ledger | The queryable record of why every decision was made |
| L3 | CAD & Geometry World Model | Deterministic geometry: measurements, clashes, clearances, tolerances |
| L4 | Rules & Applicability Engine | Applies ABS, USCG, IACS, IMO, owner, and yard rules with citations |
| L5 | Capability Catalog & Agents | The versioned menu of moves the AI is allowed to make |
| L5.5 | (within L5) Confidence & Abstention | Low-confidence outputs abstain, gather more context, or route to a human |
| L6 | Verification Ladder | Ordered checks from citation to class/USCG review and final sign-off |
| L7 | Outcome Observer | Captures real outcomes, rework, supersession, and improvements |
The two clocks, mapped to layers
The Two-Clock Problem shows up directly in the architecture:- The state clock (“what exists today?”) lives across CAD and the ontology (L2, L3).
- The event clock (“why is it this way?”) lives in the decision ledger (L2.5).