PHILADELPHIA
–Engineers at Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station (NAVSSES) are creating a
virtual 3-D model of
Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) dry dock three from laser scans taken in June
to create an advance-planning 3-D layout of the site and determine optimum
placement of support services during future dry dockings.
NAVSSES
engineers Scott Storms, Patrick Violante, and Kyle Verrinder used two scanners
to capture the dry dock, docked submarine, and pier side structures with 340
scans. The 3-D layout they create from the scans will help NNSY determine the
best ship docking block positions, pier side temporary support services
locations, temporary dry dock trailer placements, transport dry dock crane
assemblies, toolbox locations, and external ship scaffolding locations.
“The scans
taken by NAVSSES for this proof-of-concept project will benefit NNSY by
capturing the various conditions of La Jolla (SSN 701) and the associated dry
dock arrangements as the ship is converted into a moored training ship,” said
B. Maria Williams, a nuclear engineer and lead for NNSY 3-D Printing and
Scanning Subcommittee. “This data will be used for planning of the next MTS
conversion of SSN 711 beginning soon.”
According to
Storms, a mechanical engineer with the Advanced Machinery Systems Integration
Branch, this project developed during a meeting to discuss how Naval Sea
Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) warfare centers can use their innovation resources
to support Navy shipyards.
Violante,
electrical engineer with Advanced Machinery Systems Integration Branch, said
NNSY is in the process of purchasing the equipment.
“During this
project, we are showing them what they can do with the equipment they already
have,” said Verrinder, a mechanical engineer with Power Transmissions branch.
“Eventually they can start doing this on their own with the other dry docks at
Norfolk.”
Storms said
every ship dry-docking is different – requiring different tools, erecting
scaffolding in a different spot, and placement of trailers varies. Having a 3-D
model allows planners to create the layout before the ship is dry-docked and
the support elements delivered.
According to
Williams, NNSY reduces the time spent developing planning drawings for the next
dry dock availability after scanning a facility or piece of equipment because
the existing data remains the same. “Modifying 3-D model drawings is less time
intensive than doing the same modification to a 2-D drawing where lines and
objects aren’t dimensionally associated to each other and must be manually
modified,” she said .
NAVSSES’ 3-D
layout gives NNSY precise measurements to work with. According to Storms, having
the 3-D model helps them plan the various stages of a dry-docking. There is no
lag time in putting up scaffolding and different services no longer fight for
space.
“Because the
depth line on one side of the dry dock says 6-feet, doesn’t mean the other side
is also exactly 6-feet,” said Storms. “There can be a difference of an
eighth-of-an-inch or so that can affect the placement of block positions. They
can use our scans as a validation tool for all their measurements.”
Violante said
their biggest obstacles during the six days of scanning were heat and
scheduling. Unusually hot temperatures forced the team to stop work
intermittently to cool the equipment to keep it operational.
The scanning
took place at an active work site. A people-free environment is ideal for
scanning, said Storms. To remedy both
problems, the team decided to do most scanning between the hours of 3-8 p.m.
when the temperatures were lower and fewer people were working.
“Ideally we
would’ve liked to do the scanning at night when the temperatures were much
cooler and there were no workers on the submarine, but our scanning equipment
works much better in sunlight,” said Storms.
Storms said
they plan to continue doing scans at NNSY throughout the phases of USS La
Jolla’s dry-docking to get a full representation of the entire process. They
also hope to do at least one quality scan of a dry dock at every Navy shipyard
as a starting point for determining optimum placement of support services
during future dry dockings.
The Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station in Philadelphia is the Navy's principal test and evaluation station and in-service engineering agent for all hull, mechanical and electrical ship systems and equipment and has the capability to test and engineer the full range of shipboard systems and equipment from full-scale propulsion systems to digital controls and electric power systems.