TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS 500, DDG 1000 Program, ACAT 1

OBJECTIVE: Develop and implement innovative technologies that will improve weld quality by actively monitoring the weld process of mechanized and automatic welding machines and identifying the occurrence of poor quality events.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy's Program Executive Office for Ships is leveraging the National Research Program (NSRP) to effect change across the non-nuclear surface shipbuilding, modernization and repair enterprise by coordinating with U. S. shipbuilders to adapt and implement "World Class" commercial best manufacturing practices. This topic seeks innovative scientific and engineering solutions to inefficiencies in long-standing design and engineering methods. This topic offers an opportunity to infuse new ideas/innovations into the smaller, domestic shipbuilding industry. Of particular interest are initiatives with a clear business case.

Proposals should specifically describe the technology that will be applied to solve the problem, how it will be developed, what the estimated benefits will be and how it might be transitioned into the shipbuilding industry. Automated welding processes in the shipyard essentially run "open loop" with only the periodic observation of operational personal of the process due to the volume of welding being done. For a variety of reasons contaminants can be introduced into the welding process which results in poor weld quality including spatter and porosity.

This topic seeks to identify and develop technologies that are capable of being implemented to observe the welding process and to detect the occurrence of weld contamination, e.g., paint, oil, sand. If such occurrences can be detected and welding terminated immediately, then significant reduction in rework costs can be achieved. Such process oversight has not been developed for shipbuilding or for standard welding technologies. Therefore, an innovative, potentially high-risk solution is required. Solutions must be able to be implemented in shipyard welding applications and be compatible with shipyard welding processes.

Of particular interest are initiatives with a clear business case. Proposals should specifically describe the technology that will be applied to solve the problem, how it will be developed, what the specific benefit will be and how it might be transitioned into the shipbuilding industry. NSRP members are available to provide guidance and assistance in the identification of common issues and needs. Contact with these resources is encouraged both prior to proposal development and during any subsequent SBIR-related activity. Teaming with a NSRP member (or Government shipyard) is voluntary and will not be a factor in proposal selection.

PHASE I: Demonstrate feasibility for improvements being developed and also identify impact upon shipbuilding affordability. Include a first order Return-On-Investment (ROI) analysis for industry implementation and estimate potential Total Ownership Cost (TOC) reduction. Establish Phase II performance goals and key developmental milestones.

PHASE II: Finalize the design, as appropriate, and demonstrate a working prototype of the proposed system. Perform laboratory tests to validate the performance characteristics established in Phase I. Develop a detailed plan and method of implementation into a full-scale application.

PHASE III: Implement the Phase III plan developed in Phase II in coordination with the shipbuilding and repair industry.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed under this topic shall be directly applicable to current military and commercial shipbuilding operations and repair practices. The products developed should find wide use in most heavy industrial plant/processing facilities such as the power industry and will be marketable to the shipbuilding and repair industry.

REFERENCES:
1. NSRP ASE Strategic Investment Plan, available on line at http://www.nsrp.org

2. US Naval Shipyard information is available at http://www.shipyards.navy.mil

3. Welding and Joining Technologies and Training can be found at http://www.khake.com/page89.html

KEYWORDS: Welding;contaminates;quality control;NSRP;shipbuilding; automation.

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 21 and May 18, 2008, you may talk directly with the Topic Author(s) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 19, 2008, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

However, proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the DoD's SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing until the solicitation closes. All proposers are advised to monitor SITIS (08.2 Q&A) during the solicitation period for questions and answers, and other significant information, relevant to the SBIR 08.1 topic under which they are proposing.

If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at (866) 724-7457 or email weblink.