Business Process Technologies News

ERP systems are beasts. To be happy, they have to be well fed. Computer Aided Design/Drafting (CAD) systems are a source of the food for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems since they contain significant information regarding the plans and materials needed to construct a ship. ERP systems are data hungry. They can only be effective at planning purchasing and production as long as the beast is consuming the information that the CAD system provides. In fact, there is a direct link between the success of an ERP system and how well it is fed the information it requires to do its job.

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.

Patrick Roberts, Director of Operations for ShipConstructor USA, has been re-elected Vice Chairman of the Business Process Technologies Panel for the United States National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP). The upcoming year will be Roberts’ second year in the role of Vice Chairman. The NSRP Business Process Technologies Panel advises the NSRP Executive Control Board on research projects involving technology to improve procedures and practices within the shipbuilding industry.

The National Shipbuilding Research Program's Business Process Technologies Panel elected Ken Clarke as its new Panel Chair, and Jim Rohr as returning Vice Chair, during its December 12, 2003 Panel Meeting held at the "Automation in Shipbuilding Conference" in New Orleans, Louisiana. Clarke is an employee of Northrop Grumman Newport News. He has held management positions at Newport News in Aircraft Carrier New Construction and Overhaul Nuclear Engineering, Waterfront Trades Administration, Submarine Overhaul Program Office, International Commercial Ship Marketing, Naval Business Technology Marketing, and Human Resources. His current position is Manager, Production Engineering and Program Manager for Industrial Products Sales at NGNN.

The Executive Control Board of the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) approved funding for 10 Ship Production Panel Projects with conditional approval given to an eleventh project for a total value of $599,425. This action occurred during the Board’s June 25 meeting in Bath, Maine. funded. The Board recognizes that the Ship Production Panels have been a valuable asset for the U.S. shipbuilding industry for more than two decades and works to support their requests. top three injury types that result in lost time away from work. nearly 25 percent of costs resulting from workers’ compensation claims. Practices Guide for preventing slips, trips and falls. Sponsored by the Facilities & Tooling Technologies Panel. $35,500. implementation and documentation.

The Executive Control Board of the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) has selected 11 new Ship Production Panel projects, totaling approximately $756,000, designed to reduce the costs of Navy shipbuilding and ship repair. These relatively short, low cost projects were selected to complement portfolios of larger R&D projects funded through NSRP in responding to industry-consensus priorities and the Navy customer’s research areas of greatest interest. (Business Process Technologies Panel): U.S. commercial shipbuilding is important to maintain and modernize the industrial base for both new construction and repair of military ships and craft. The United States builds less than one percent of ships worldwide.