Objective:

This project will provide a software solution that connects accuracy control data across work centers.  This will enhance problem solving and process improvement, increase part accuracy and fit-up quality, and drive down over-welding and rework.  It will enable predictive analytic capabilities that will improve our ability to pre-cut jobs to size.  It will ultimately enable future ability to “neat build” to design dimensions.  This will reduce our dependence on craftsman experience and increase the less seasoned employee’s ability to assemble our product with high first-time quality.

Summary:

This project will assess internal processes, outputs from successfully completed NSRP and ManTech projects, and mature COTS offerings to identify and reconfigure existing software solutions as necessary to provide the functionality required to support project objectives.  We will engage project partners Applied Research Labs/Penn State University and Huntington Ingalls Industries – Ingalls Shipbuilding, whose depth of experience will enhance performance while minimizing project risk.

Key Deliverables / Benefits:

Accomplishing this objective would:

  • Enable full value stream connectivity and the ability to recognize and predict the impact of individual process variation on downstream operations
  • Support statistical process control (SPC) in key operations
  • Provide user-friendly reporting and metrics that are meaningful to both the operator and the decision maker
  • Enable consistent and sustainable first-time quality at all phases of construction
  • Reduce the cost and schedule impacts of rework required to address in-process geometric variation
  • Preserve alignment on critical components and systems such as shafting, elevators and catapults
  • Enable future process evolution to neat build and real-time dock monitoring, as well as extension to other programs, platforms and shipyards
  • Provide a low cost means of sustaining an accuracy control program and form the foundation for a documented, disciplined and effective approach to shipbuilding accuracy control
  • Deploy an application that supports real-time inputs and generates reports that are as meaningful and useful to the mechanic and foreman as they are to the manager and decision maker

Point of Contact:

Mark Weaver | HII-Newport News Shipbuilding | William.m.Weaver@hii-nns.com

Overview

Ship Production Technologies

Project Team:

  • HII-Newport News Shipbuilding, Applied Research Laboratories-Penn State University, HII-Ingalls Shipbuilding, GD-Bath Iron Works

March 2023 – February 2024

 INDUSTRY INVESTMENT: $761K | NSRP INVESTMENT $761K

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