Executive Control Board awards $14.5M for R&D Project Portfolio

December 16, 2015 — The Executive Control Board of the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) has selected a new round of R&D projects for award, as part of the Program’s continuing mission to reduce costs associated with U. S. shipbuilding and ship repair. These new projects, valued at over $13M, including cost share, were among those proposed in response to Research Announcement 14-01, issued in June 2015. A brief description of the selected project portfolio follows:

Development of HiDep Welding Process and Butt and T-fillet Joints

HiDep Welding Bollinger Shipyards

Bollinger Shipyards| EnergYntech; Electric Boat; Ingalls Shipbuilding; Gunderson Shipbuilding; Gatekey Engineering; Miller Electric and Hobart Companies; Vigor Shipyards

Industry Investment: $1.420M | NSRP Investment: $1.411M

Duration: 12 Months

Objective

This project is a follow-on to the HiDep Weld Tfillet and Butt Weld Development RA project. It aims to implement the results of the new welding process for shipyard construction issues to reduce weld distortion with improved productivity and minimal process and capital cost requirements utilizing induction heating technology.

Mitigation of Stress Corrosion, Cracking, Cavitation Erosion and Forming Complex Shapes Using Laser Peening

Hepburn & Sons, LLC | Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies; Austal USA; ABS; NSWC-Carderock

Industry Investment: $502K | NSRP Investment: $1.463M

Duration: 24 Months

Objective

This project aims to apply existing laser peening technology to shipyard construction and repair issues that include: mitigation of stress corrosion cracking of sensitized aluminum, aluminum component mitigation of cavitation erosion, and formation of complex metal (non-ferrous) geometries.

Reduction of Total Ownership Costs (R-TOC) through Application of Design for Maintenance (DFM) Software

Bollinger Shipyards| Hepinstall Consulting Group; Tedesco Consulting; Gatekey Engineering

Industry Investment: $399K | NSRP Investment: $399K

Duration: 12 Months

Objective

This project is a follow-on to the NSRP Design for Maintainability Training project and intends to: update an extensive repository of over 1000 rules and standards and expand it to include the Virginia Class Submarine; leverage repeatable rules and standards on new designs, current designs, and planning products; track and measure the integration of Maintenance Standards in design and modernization planning; prioritize and perform 40 of the 460 comprehensive BCA studies captured under the previous DFM project; and develop and deliver a condensed 1-day version of the DFM training to U.S. Shipyards, government representatives, design agents, and maritime colleges.

3 Views to 3D

Newport News Shipbuilding

Industry Investment: $402K | NSRP Investment: $402K

Duration: 18 Months

Objective

The project proposes to develop processes (and supporting tools) to convert 2D drawings to 3D product models from which electronic work instruction documentation can be produced. The project is applicable to both the repair and modernization lifecycle phases.

Standardization of Watertight Closures

Watertight Door

HII- Ingalls Shipbuilding| Bollinger Shipyards

Industry Investment: $776K | NSRP Investment: $776K

Duration: 24 Months

Objective

This proposal will deliver a rationalized/standardized list of watertight closures that is a reduced subset of those in use today. It will confirm the requirements for watertight closures with Navy technical personnel. Additionally, the team will identify the design documentation for previously approved closures that deviate from the current Navy standard. Using this data, the team will down-select to a subset of closures and develop new design documentation for a family of approved and qualified door designs enhanced with accurate logistics data that support ship maintenance and repair.

LiftShip

Austal USA | Bollinger Shipyards | VT Halter Marine | Vigor Shipyards | Conrad Shipyards | SSIUSA | Altair Engineering | Genoa Design International

Industry Investment: $2.5M | NSRP Investment: $2.5M

Duration: 24 Months

Objective

The LiftShip project proposes to automate the process of Finite Element Analysis model generation and analysis in support of large ship structure lifting and handling, and to present the results in a clear, concise go/no-go metric for the configuration. The project also proposes to track lifting components and to generate lift drawing output and information to support production. The ultimate goal is to facilitate quicker and easier detailed analysis of lifting and handling to minimize generation of built-in stress and therefore distortion.