NSRP Approves $1.2M for New Projects
As part of the National Shipbuilding Research Program’s (NSRP) core mission to reduce the costs associated with Navy shipbuilding and repair, the NSRP Executive Control Board has selected 14 new research and development projects for award, totaling approximately $1.2M. These projects will be executed under the purview of the 10 NSRP communities of practice known as the Ship Production Panels. Focus and interest among panel members regularly reveal relevant project opportunities which may not be well suited for larger-scale funding via the primary NSRP solicitation process. The Board therefore typically sets aside an amount of money each year to fund relatively small (less than $100K), short-term (12 months or less) projects recommended by the Panel Chairs. The Panel Project selection process, which occurs every 12-18 months, allows any interested party to submit a short proposal to the appropriate panel, after which the membership employs a voting process to select up to a maximum of three projects for submission to the NSRP Board. Current Panel Projects can be found on the Program website (www.nsrp.org). A brief description of each newly awarded project follows: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Integration with CADPanel: Business Process Technologies Project Lead: VT Halter Marine Objective: To continue support of previous efforts by identifying common information in existing business practices within the shipyard, focusing on the exchange of data between material management/procurement applications and 3D computer-aided design production design systems (CAD). Award: $99K Fiber Optic Tester with Go/No-Go Acceptance Criteria Panel: Electrical Technologies Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News Objective: To develop a Mil-Std-2042B compatible end-face inspection profile to be used with an automated fiber optic connector quality assessment device that provides a "Go/No-Cable Tag Reduction Panel: Electrical Technologies Project Lead: Bath Iron Works Objective: To perform an investigation to determine how cable tags are used and whether more effective methods are available to be deployed to improve safety, operational effectiveness and reduce acquisition cost. Award: $100K Solid-State Ship Lighting System Evaluation Panel: Electrical Technologies Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast Objective: To evaluate the readiness of solid state lighting systems to be installed on Navy combatants and ensure seamless transition of technologies to the shipbuilder. Award: $95K Implementation of Recently Generated Emission Factors at the Federal, State and Local Level Panel: Environmental Technologies Project Lead: Concurrent Technologies Corporation Objective: To continue previous efforts which tested and validated emissions factor data, and to assist shipyards with preparing for the new federal emission factor system and support shipyards' initiative of getting newly developed emissions factors (resulting from previous projects) implemented into the federal, state and local regulatory community. Award: $98K Analysis of Injuries & Fatalities in Shipbuilding Industry Associated with “Struck By”, “Struck Against” or “Caught In” Incidents Panel: Facilities, Tooling & Risk Management Project Lead: Atlantic Marine Objective: To develop a product to assist the shipbuilding and ship repair industry in reducing injuries and associated hazards resulting from contact with objects or equipment. Criteria will be developed by participating shipyards for consideration of best practices associated with controlling "Struck By", Struck Against, "or "Caught-In" hazards. Award: $23K Swage Panel Analysis Verification Panel: Product Design & Material Technologies Project Lead: NASSCO Objective: To provide a body of useful data comparing the calculated and actual strength characteristics of swage bulkheads to assist design engineers in selecting these configurations for reduced cost construction alternatives. Award: $98KNVR Strength Criteria Implementation into MAESTRO FEA Application Panel: Product Design & Material Technologies Project Lead: DRS Defense Solutions Objective: To implement the Naval Vessel Rules’ (NVR) structural strength criteria (i.e. NVR Table 1-3-4/4.1) inside of the global ship-oriented finite element analysis (FEA) computer program MAESTRO. Award: $100KSafe Practice of Common Shipyard Rigging Equipment Panel: Shipyard Production Process Technologies Project Lead: GD NASSCO Objective: To provide rigging equipment information including, rated use, restrictions, guidelines and pertinent standards and regulations by expanding upon the Rigging Lift Common Component Catalog (appendix to 2008 Panel Project: Rigging Planning Guide). Award: $81K Study to Determine an Alternative Coatings System Environment Recorder Panel: Surface Preparation & Coatings Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News Objective: To evaluate and recommend a reliable, efficient, and cost effective alternative Coatings System Environment Recorder (i.e., “Data Logger”) in support of the Specification for Environment and Surface Contact Temperature Record System. Award: $92K Study to Determine the Level of Salt Mitigation as related to the Accuracy of the Measurement and Cost Benefits Panel: Surface Preparation & Coatings Project Lead: Lydia Frenzel Objective: To determine the cost versus benefits and evaluate risk assessment for a given level of salt mitigation. Award: $79K The Cost of U.S. Navy Coatings QA/QC Panel: Surface Preparation & Coatings Project Lead: Global Inspection Group Objective: To reduce the cost of shipbuilding and repair by investigating the cost of US Navy Coatings QA/QC in accordance with NAVSEA Standard Items and its associated reference document requirements. Award: $81K Constructing a Prototype Man-Portable Friction Stir Welding System Panel: Welding Technology Project Lead: Engineering Consulting Services Objective: To design and construct a prototype, man-portable Friction-Stir Welding system Award: $99K Hybrid Laser Arc Welding Economic Viability Study Panel: Welding Technology Project Lead: Bollinger Shipyards Objective: To develop a business case for hybrid laser arc welding for panel line applications at NGSB and a mid-tier shipyard. Award: $84K
NSRP Approves $1.2M for New Projects