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 CAD
Panel: 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: $98K

NVR 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: $100K

Safe 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