WASHINGTON - Naval Sea Systems Command's (NAVSEA) Tactical Innovation Implementation Lab (TIIL) realized $461,000 in cost avoidance during the past eight months, the command announced July 27.
TIIL includes small teams of NAVSEA employees charged to identify and pursue unique solutions to complex ship maintenance challenges. Using the High Velocity Learning capabilities of see, swarm, share and sustain, command personnel implement processes and technologies that maximize information and knowledge sharing across the NAVSEA enterprise, including the nation's four public shipyards.
"The Tactical Implementation Exercises (TIEs) are the actual mechanism to bring ideas from concept to completion," said Suzie Simms, NAVSEA TIIL tactical implementation manger.
Simms brings together decision makers from across the public shipyards or within a shipyard to staff and execute each TIE. During these exercises, participants find ways to remove barriers and implement the recommended solutions.
There are seven active TIEs, which vary from a day to a week in duration. Since 2016, $404,000 has been invested in 20 now-completed TIEs and another five nearing completion.
A recent TIE at Norfolk Naval Shipyard focused on improving the repair process of sealing components, such as valves or operational rods damaged during disassembly or pitted from salt water, through brush electroplating. Prior repair practices required these components to be removed, which was often cumbersome and time consuming.
Experts from across the NAVSEA enterprise identified a best practice from the custom tooling work center at the Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bangor, Washington to minimize the time required to electroplate. Using ultraviolet light, valves and rods are now prepared before electroplating, enabling the sealing area to be repaired without removing the component from its operational environment and saving approximately $81,000 per year at the facility- $324,000 if implemented NAVSEA-wide.
Several benefits are expected because of the solution, including several hundred man-days per year, improved first-time quality, improved worker safety and ergonomics, and reduced set-up time, material costs and hazardous waste.
Other Examples of current TIIL projects include:
Adjustable round cut machine for hull cutting
Plasma or hot cutting uses an open flame to cut the pipe and the extra labor-intensive step of hand grinding the pipe's surface to create a suitable weld-ready surface. Cuts produced by the adjustable round cut machine for hull welding are beveled and very clean, which saves time and effort preparing surfaces for re-welding.
Since the machine doesn't produce heat and potential negative effects on metal, cuts are more localized and can be re-used through a ship's hull, which increases accessibility for those performing repair work. A cost avoidance of $264,000 is anticipated each year, based on two submarine projects at each shipyard.
Innovative 3-D printed tie bolt tool, which brought cost savings to Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Tie bolts are often used aboard ships and submarines to safely hold frames and components in place. NNSY personnel created a three-dimensional-printed tie bolt anti-rotation tool. This tool is used to secure a bolt in place so the bolt does not turn during installation. The tool is expected to avoid approximately 200 man hours or $10,000 per project.
For more news visit www.navsea.navy.mil.