Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Megan Brannon | Code 950 developed a new team and workspace to conduct work for the Virginia-class...... read more read more
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Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) has stepped up its game when it comes to repairing and maintaining Virginia-class submarines for the nation’s fleet. When USS John Warner (SSN-785) entered the shipyard for its first Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Virginia-Class Extended Dry-docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) in 2023, NNSY aimed to pave the way for new processes, procedures and more when servicing this and future classes of vessels entering drydock. Code 950, the Electrical/Electronics Department, saw the challenges presented with this first-time work coming to the shipyard and built a team dedicated to the movement, repair and inspection of Power Conversion Modules (PCM).
“PCMs are a challenging electrical equipment as part of the Virginia-class submarines that are essential in providing power to the vessel at any given time,” said Code 950N General Foreman Jenna Plumblee. “These components provided complex first-time work for our shipyard that not only required a whole new workspace set up to accomplish the work, new tooling, and new paperwork – but also getting our electricians trained up on how to do the work.”
Plumblee shared that these efforts were years in the making as they sent mechanics and supervisors to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY&IMF) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) to learn about the new work coming to NNSY. In addition, Code 950 also worked alongside the Control Engineering Division (Code 2330) to plan, build and prepare an expert team to execute the work.
“It has been exciting to take on new work here at the shipyard and learn from the other shipyards,” said Code 950 PCM Supervisor Willie Duncan. “We were able to spend time getting a feel for how things were done there and adapting their methods to best fit our approach here. It’s been a process to take this on for the first time, learning what works best as we go. But we’ve found a way to do the work safely and efficiently and are ready to take on whatever challenge comes next.”
In their preparations for working on this new equipment, the PCM Team also sought the assistance of Code 920 and the Rapid Prototyping Center (RPC) on new tools to assist in their assignment.
“When working on the PCMs, we would need to find a safe way to transport them from the John Warner into the shop for repairs and inspections,” said PCM Supervisor Bob Beeman. With a large number used to power the vessel and testing being done at the middle and end of each availability, it would require a lot of coordination to ensure the job is done safely in transporting to and from the submarine, as well as ensuring the PCMs are properly handled inside the shop. “When shipboard, the test equipment needs to be secured in order to perform testing on PCMs. At the time, we were originally using wiring and clamps to get the job done. However, we had an idea to possibly establish a frame to place the equipment on so they are secured and are able to be worked on safely by our team.”
With that in mind, Beeman and his team reached out to Code 920 John Reagan and RPC Sheetmetal Mechanic Kenneth Kinstler to share his idea and see if it could become a reality.
“We came up with the shipping containers and the fiddle board. This includes a secure frame made out of T-Frame steel that is able to safely mount the PCMs in place, hold the weight of the devices, and be able to be adjusted as needed for the work being conducted,” said Kinstler. “In addition, these boards and frames ensure the workers are performing the work on the PCMs safely at all times.”
Code 920 developed more than 80 shipping containers to be used at NNSY and the RPC has developed the fiddle boards to aid the team not only for this project but for many more to come. “This is a huge win for us and will be used on many availabilities to come,” said Beeman. “This was the first time our shipyard had ever conducted this type of work before and being able to lean not only on our team but with other shops and shipyards to find what works best for us has been great. We were able to take the valuable knowledge learned and the new tools at our disposal to gear up for what comes next.”
“Hearing from those we assisted through the RPC how much something we helped them create has aided them on the job is why we do what we do,” said Kinstler. “Being able to see a team come together to help our fellow shipmates have the best tools they need for the job is wonderful.”
Plumblee added, “These efforts not only go into the John Warner project but into all future Virginia-class and Columbia-class availabilities as well. We’re building on our knowledge and skillsets to take on whatever challenge arises. In addition, we’re able to share what we’ve learned with the other shipyards, including providing the designs for testing covers and the fixtures so that they can utilize them in their future work as well. It’s all about strong collaboration and getting the job done as a team.”
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2024 14:08 |
| Story ID: | 467276 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New Team and Tools Developed to Provide Electrical Support for the Virginia-Class, by Kristi R Britt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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