Photo By Daniel DeAngelis | Code 138.1 Nuclear Welding Engineers Mayank Awasthi and Jason Ell worked with Additive...... read more read more
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) recently took a big step with innovative tools and technology in the development of its first 3-D metal printed tool. With the Welding and Non-Destructive Test Engineering Division (Code 138) at the helm collaborating with the NNSY Technology and Innovation (T&I) Lab and the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Community of Practice (CoP), the team was able to prototype, test, and finalize a “Go/No-Go” gauge for assessing weld heights.
“When weld reinforcements are being done to the piping and sleeves for the ship, we have to ensure there are consistencies with the welds and that it does not go under the minimum or maximum measures for that particular weld,” said Code 138.1 Nuclear Welding Engineer Jason Ell. “In the past, we haven’t had a tool in place specifically to conduct these measurements for inspections. We began consulting our inspectors in the Nuclear Inspection Division (Code 139) to see what they needed and what could assist in measuring more difficult welds.”
Code 138.1 Nuclear Welding Engineer Mayank Awasthi added, “From there, we began developing prototypes with input from those on the job. Once we had an idea of what would work best, we looked for ways to get a final product in the hands of our inspectors.”
Originally, the team was going to work with the production shops to produce the gauge; however, to not add to their already increased workload for the projects, the team then looked towards AM to develop the final product. Both Awasthi and Ell have worked alongside others within the shipyard in the growing efforts of AM; however, the usual thermoplastics used in most prints would not work for the tool they were designing. The material would be required to withstand the heat of welds in the event of the inspection – so the team decided to develop its first 3-D printed metal tool in-house.
“With the specifications all drawn out, printing for the tool itself took less than a day,” said AM 3-D Printer Operator Dixie Cox. “From there, the print goes through washing which can take up to four to 12 hours and sintering after that will take 28 hours to finalize. Altogether, we were able to print two gauges on a single plate in 60 hours total at around the cost of $30 in metal filament. We were able to quickly print a tool for them and have it in the hands of the inspector within the week.”
“This is huge for us because not only did we not have to add work onto the production folks to complete this tool or seek out others outside the gates, we were able to take control of the situation and develop the tool onsite with 3-D printing,” said Ell. “We saw a need and printed it in-house which is huge. It may seem like a simple tool that we developed, but this makes a world of difference for those performing our weld inspections. We can ensure accuracy and consistency throughout our welds to help ensure first-time quality on the job.”
With the success of this print, the team is looking towards the future and working to develop more parts to assist in their day-to-day operations, including a cable guide for the robotic arm technology to perform welds. “We’re pushing the boundaries of this technology at America’s Shipyard to work towards a better future for our Navy,” said Awasthi. “The big goal in this is to someday have the ability to print parts onboard the ship. With each successful job, we’re getting closer to that goal and aiding our workforce each step of the way. With assistance from those within the shops, we can identify what tools can be 3-D printed and developed right here in NNSY.”
Cox added, “For 3-D printing, we’re always working to ensure that we use the right material for the job. We have access to different metals, plastics, ceramics, and more – each with their own benefits for application. If folks have ideas of tools or products to print, they can come to us and we can help them determine what materials work best and outline how the job will go from there. We’re here to help!”
The AM CoP is welcoming any part suggestions to be considered for future printing, including metal printing. For more information, visit https://wiki.navsea.navy.mil/pages/viewpage.action?spaceKey=NNSNTILTL&title=AM+Center+of+Excellence. You can also contact Roberts at Jessica.f.roberts@navy.mil. To learn more about the Real Ideas Program or to reach out to the team for submission ideas, email NNSY_REALIdeas@navy.mil, contact (757)-396-7180, or stop by the lab in Bldg. 31.
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2022 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 420283 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 105 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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