Overview
ARgos (2016-435)
Project Team:
- General Dynamics Electric Boat
- Bollinger Shipyards, LLC
- ESI North America
- D-Angelo Technologies, LLC
- Hepinstall Consulting Group, Inc.
- General Dynamics Applied Physical Sciences
June 2016 – July 2018
NSRP ASE INVESTMENT: $2.3M
INDUSTRY INVESTMENT: $2.3M
Objective:
The objectives of this project are to reduce the cost to install cables aboard ships using proven VR/AR advances and mitigate the knowledge retention problem by applying the same technologies to improve training and design expertise through simulated hands-on cable installation.
Summary:
This project will address the Ohio Replacement (OR) program which faces a critical challenge to reduce the cost of construction. It will take advantage of recent advances in VR/AR technology to drive down construction costs in the targeted realm of cable installation. Moreover, the project will implement knowledge retention and training capabilities that will mitigate the risks associated with the continuing diminution of experience in the work force.
The installation of cable aboard Navy ships is a substantial cost item. Cables are different from many other items on the ship because, being flexible, they are typically scheduled after the more unforgiving items – sometimes with minimal direction from design. This, together with the sheer volume of cables on a ship, make cable installation a challenging operation. The ‘optimal’ install plan for cables, particularly large diameter cables, is only realized from hands-on experience. On the VA class submarine the learning curve from the first to second and even the third ship was in the hundreds of thousands of man-hours. This situation is exacerbated by the dynamics of the aging shipyard work force. VA was built by experienced electricians, but many of them are at or nearing retirement. There is an urgent need for methods of retaining this knowledge if there is any hope to improve the situation on the next class of ships.
Specific goals of this project are as follows:
- Develop a standardized knowledge retention platform for cable installation training and Subject Matter Expert databases
- Test the tools and methodology in a full-scale demonstration of a module of the OR submarine
- Survey other shipyard/activities’ cable management systems in order to capture best practices during creation of the proposed technology.
Point of Contact:
Dr. Thomas Rando | General Dynamics Electric Boat | [email protected]