Laser image aimed at achieving 85 percent reduction in costs

An innovative laser imaging technique, developed withfunding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), could cut more than 7,700 manhours from the manufacturing cycle of the VIRGINA-Class Submarine (VCS).

Per submarine, the savings could reach $500K per hull,translating in a projected savings of $15.5M over a 31-hull constructionprogram.

Successfully piloted in June 2008, the laser imageprojection technology allows the Quonset Point, R.I., Electric Boat (EB)manufacturing facility to automate the layout of attachments during the earlyoutfitting stages of the VCS. This automation could result in an estimated 85percent reduction in labor over the current method.

The laser imaging technology uses 3-D digital ship designdata generated by the OneStop CAD database. OneStop extracts positional datafrom the EB product model to determine the quantity and specific location ofvarious attachments.

The EB project team cut its dependency on paper templatesand string measurements using OneStop. In fact, the team located and attached4,822 electrical and ventilation hangers, and installed approximately 8,862studs in 21 of the 22 VCS hull cylinders during the pilot program.

The laser image projection technology will ultimately equipproduction workers with direct access to the CAD model information needed tolocate/mark points of attachment.

The EB project team continues to evaluate additional usesfor the technology, and in future pilots will include attachment points forpiping, sound damping and other fixed point attachments. The cylindrical shapeof the submarine's hull is ideally suited to this technology, but other shipconstruction applications are also being considered and could result in costsavings for other Navy construction programs.

ONR's Navy Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Center forNaval Shipbuilding Technology (CNST) sponsored the pilot. CNST is a NavyManTech Center of Excellence, chartered by ONR to identify, develop and deploy,in U.S. shipyards, advancedmanufacturing technologies in U.S.shipyards that will reduce the cost and time to build and repair Navy ships.

ManTech sponsorship is making a huge impact here at our QPfacility," said Danielle Fernholz, point manager at the EB's Quonset Pointfacility. "We can't thank [ONR] enough for the tremendous opportunitiesthis program is affording us."

Previous ManTech efforts on the VCS are projected to reducedesign and engineering costs by $3.65M per year, generate a per-hull savings of$5.275M, reduce production cycle time from 84 to 60 months and enable theacquisition of two submarines per year. Known as Design for Production (DfP),these efforts have yielded an optimized design and production environment forthe VCS and are applicable across the shipbuilding and weapons systemsindustries.