NSRP picks new projects for funding

The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) says its Executive Control Board has selected 13 new research and development projects for awards totaling approximately $1.3 million. The projects will come under the umbrella of the various NSRP Ship Production Panels.

Improved Bonding and Grounding

Panel: Electrical Technologies

Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding – Gulf Coast

Objective: Identify, test and recommend new technologies that can provide adequate bonding of electrical components to their foundation while meeting Defense Department standards.

Award: $100,000

Rapidly Deployable Lighting System

Panel: Electrical Technologies

Project Lead: Advanced Capabilities Group

Objective: Develop a quick deployment technology for ship’s lighting that will help to reduce the time required to commission the lighting system and allow for commissioning the lighting system earlier in the construction cycle.

Award: $99,000

Shipboard Installation Methods for Insulated Bus Pipe

Panel: Electrical Technologies

Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding – Newport News

Objective: Determine if the European methods for insulated bus pipe installation can be used on Navy ships.

Award: $100,000

Course Material for Training Rigging Engineers

Panel: Planning, Production Processes and Facilities

Project Lead: General Dynamics • NASSCO

Objective: Develop and deliver training material on shipyard rigging design practices and operations.

Award: $100,000

Ship Design and Construction Training Module

Panel: Planning Production Processes and Facilities

Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding – Gulf Coast

Objective: Develop and deliver a ship design and construction short course module for training design engineers, production engineers and shop floor craftsmen on thin•steel distortion management and mitigation techniques.

Award: $99,000

Reduction of Weld Fume Risk in Naval and Commercial Shipyards

Panel: Risk Management

Project Lead: Atrium Environmental Health and Safety Services

Objective: Accurately measure and characterize welding fume generation by welding process, to define both total fume amounts and particle sizes, as required by newly-proposed occupational exposure standards.

Award: $100,000

Hanger Standardization

Panel: Ship Design and Material Technologies

Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding – Gulf Coast Objective: Create a repository of information on hangers currently approved for shipboard use, and document the process for qualifying new hangers.

Award: $98,000

Design Manual for Fabricated Shapes

Panel: Ship Design and Material Technologies

Project Lead: Applied Thermal Sciences

Objective: Provide a simplified, integrated design manual for replacing hot-rolled structural shapes (T and I Beams) with shapes fabricated from plate material.

Award: $100,000

Compatibility of “Single Coat” Tank Coatings with Retained Pre-construction Primer

Panel: Surface Preparation and Coatings

Project Lead: Elzly Technology Corporation

Objective: Demonstrate the performance of “Single Coat” tank coating systems over retained pre•construction primer.

Award: $99,000

Evaluation of “Spot and Sweep” Blasting as a Cost Effective Method of Underwater and Outer Hull Surface Preparation

Panel: Surface Preparation and Coatings

Project Lead: Elzly Technology Corporation

Objective: Establish initial coating evaluation procedures, QA procedures, and evaluation metrics for “Spot and Sweep” Blasting process.

Award: $96,000

Green Fastening Technologies to Reduce Operating Costs and Boost Quality and Productivity

Panel: Welding Technology

Project Lead: Nelson Stud Welding

Objective: Demonstrate and quantify the cost savings in energy by the use of inverter power supply technology for both drawn arc stud welding and capacitor discharge stud welding and to evaluate the advantages of motorized gun technology used with the inverters to eliminate errors in welding gun setup.

Award: $100,000

Low-Cost High-Performance Gas Metal Arc Welding

Panel: Welding Technology

Project Lead: Applied Thermal Sciences

Objective: Develop a low-cost, easily implemented equipment package that will increase weld penetration, with a reduction in filler metal usage and weld fume.

Award: $99,000

Weld Sizing Criteria for Lightweight Ship Structures

Panel: Welding Technology

Project Lead: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding – Gulf Coast

Objective: Develop fillet weld sizing criteria for thin plate ship hull structures through controlled fillet weld testing and analytical development.

Award: $100,000

The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) is a collaboration of 12 U.S. shipyards working with government, industry, and academia. NSRP’s mission is to manage and focus national shipbuilding and ship repair research and development funding on technologies that will reduce the cost of warships to the

U.S. Navy and other National Security customers by leveraging commercial practices and improving the efficiency of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industry. NSRP also provides a collaborative forum to

improve business and acquisition processes. NSRP is sponsored by the Naval Sea Systems Command and the Program Executive Offices for Ships, Submarines and Aircraft Carriers.

December 3, 2010