Overview
Project Number: S2817
Project Title: Automated Interior Scanning, Blasting and Painting
Period of Performance: MAR20 – AUG23
Objective
General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) are faced with several issues when it comes to blasting and painting the interiors of tanks. Access to these areas is highly limited and requires substantial personal protective equipment to ensure safety in confined spaces. Additionally, there is a substantial amount of labor required during the process due to the complex shapes of the tanks and lack of visibility in the confined blasting environment.
The goal of this Naval Shipbuilding and Advanced Manufacturing (NSAM) Center project is to develop and demonstrate a robotic system to scan, blast and paint a complex surface similar to that of the interior of the tank. The system will aid in reducing cycle time for the process and labor hours required to complete the entire evolution. In addition, the proposed system will create more uniform quality while maintaining safety.
This project includes two demonstrations. One small-scale demonstration will be done at a robotic integrator’s facility based on specifications provided by the integrated project team (IPT). A large-scale demonstration will be conducted on a mockup fabricated by the vendor at the Quonset Point facility, with input from BIW.
Benefits/Payoff
Once implemented, GDEB and BIW anticipate that this project will reduce the hours needed to perform blasting and painting interior tank surfaces by 50 percent. Implementation of new technologies / products developed under this project at BIW is estimated to result in five-year savings of $2.4M for DDG 51. Implementation at GDEB is estimated to save $5.7M for the combined VIRGINA Class submarine (VCS), VIRGINA Payload Module (VPM) and COLUMBIA Class submarine (CLB) platforms.
Implementation
GDEB and BIW will implement the solution in a production environment beginning in the fourth quarter of FY2024 on multiple ship platforms, including construction of DDG 51, VCS, VPM and CLB.
*Prepared under ONR Contract N00014-19-D-7001 as part of the Navy ManTech Program.
*DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. DCN# 0543-545-23
