Photo By Shelby West | Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) received the Adapt CL-1000 laser ablation tool, the...... read more read more
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the naval enterprise have continuously encouraged the workforce to push the boundaries of how they do business, seeking out the most cutting-edge technologies and processes to revolutionize the way maintenance and repairs are done worldwide. At Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), one such innovative tool that’s been tested across the waterfront is laser ablation, an advanced technology that utilizes a high-powered laser beam to remove unwanted materials from surfaces. With opportunities during the latest availability for USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) at NNSY, America’s Shipyard rose up with assistance from NAVSEA and Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) to secure one of the most powerful handheld lasers to add as a new tool in the toolbelt for our mechanics – the first of the four public shipyards to be provided this equipment.
At the head of this effort was NAVSEA 04XT Technology Focus Team (TFT) Hub Channel for Corrosion Control and Repair, a collective group across the enterprise working together to bring life into those innovative ideas and filling the needs of the workforce. Within the ongoing partnership and sharing of information, the team focused in on the Adapt laser series – specifically the Adapt CL-1000 – a powerful laser ablation tool that is able to eliminate rust, hazardous coatings, and corrosions from metal components in rapid time without altering the surface material. On the projects, it is standard practice to sandblast or utilize needleguns to clean the surface metals on the job – which can be taxing on the worker due to the heavy vibrations in their hand and arm, as well as the loud noises produced by these tasks. With laser ablation, it would be less taxing on the individual, reducing noise, hand, and arm vibrations – as well as provide a cleaner and safer alternative in jobs that could utilize the laser instead.
“With the push from the NAVSEA 04XT TFT as well as the immense generosity and investment from MIB who were able to do the research with inputs from the four shipyards, we were the first of the four shipyards to officially receive the Adapt CL-1000 and put it to the test with the CVN 77,” said Code 900S/970 Safety Advocate Matthew Maccord. Initially utilizing a rented unit prior to the official unit making its home at NNSY, teams came together from the Preservation and Habitability Department (Code 970), Operations Department (Code 300), Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Office (Code 106), Production Process Improvements Department (Code 900P), Innovation and Technology Division (Code 100TO.3), and Code 900S to begin the initial testing and training of folks to be able to utilize this technology and bring laser ablation to the deckplate.
Maccord said, “we purchased the Adapt CL-100 unit, a much smaller unit, to aid in our initial training efforts and to utilize the technology to a much smaller degree while we worked to get the shipyard prepared for the CL-1000. We became the pinnacle for this effort and made huge strides in training up our people and determining how this technology can be used and where. We took every precaution to see how this technology could be utilized safely here at NNSY.”
The Adapt CL-1000 is able to be set up in an area with a worker utilizing the handheld laser as well as safety glasses specifically tailored to work with that level of laser to protect their vision. The laser is able to sweep the surface in rapid time, producing a plasma field that pulsates and evaporates the material on the surface, with the waste traveling through a cord into the sealed unit to be discarded appropriately following the job.
“The hours of cleanup we’re replacing is huge with the laser. Jobs aren’t done when the work is performed and completed – we have to make sure the spaces are cleaned up and ready for what comes next in line,” said Maccord. “The benefits are going to compound the more and more it's utilized.”
Code 244A Project Engineering Planning Manager Randall Santiago added, “using the laser is faster overall than handtooling. Where certain jobs with handtooling can take two to three weeks with multiple folks on the job, we are able to do a square foot of surface in eight minutes with the laser with minimal people working the job. Also compared to a needlegun or sander, the laser is easier to use overall. Laser ablation isn’t a replacement for the existing practices, it’s another tool for the toolset to use where it best fits.”
“Plus, it will help us protect our people from those long-term effects like carpal tunnel when we’re able to reduce those more strenuous jobs,” said Workforce Development Manager James Stalls. “We’re still in the initial phases of utilizing this technology, determining the best direction for where to implement and how, yet the possibilities are endless.”
The laser has been able to be utilized on jobs on the CVN 77 project and is planned to be utilized in more projects both inside the shops as well as shipboard. In addition, a mockup space has been developed in the Apprentice School to facilitate more training across the board. Today, there are more than 40 laser operators readily available at NNSY with more being trained each month.
“This initiative fostered outstanding communication and collaboration across an entire NAVSEA community," said Carrier Team One (CT1) Project Planning Optimization (PPO) Process Manager Becky Lambert. “Our shipyard's championing of this technology on CVN 77 secured our position as the first recipient of this game-changing equipment – all without impacting our budget! Now, the spotlight shines brightly on NNSY, and we're ready to demonstrate an exceptional return on investment in upcoming availabilities. This is a truly exciting time for our shipyard, and we're confident in our ability to deliver remarkable results!”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.02.2025 10:43 |
| Story ID: | 499396 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 269 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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