Photo By Branden Bourque | KITTERY, Maine (Sept. 23, 2025) – Leaders of the model line effort pose for a photo...... read more read more
The model line process continues to prove its effectiveness at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, since its pilot was implemented in the ball valve area of the Inside Machine Shop in 2024. To replace its lean principles process, the model line initiative was implemented as a more effective process and has expanded to other areas of the Shipyard.
The model line process aims to ‘rewire’ organizational operations to put the focus on what the mechanic needs in order to do their job.
“Model line eliminates silos in an organization and creates a teaming, collaborative approach to operations,” said Industrial Engineer Dana St. Pierre . “It’s more than just a process; it’s an organizational cultural transformation where everyone is improving every day through the implementation of lean principles.”
The model line concept has spread to other work cells across the shipyard. Currently, there are two model line initiatives taking place between the plastic fabricator shop and the electronics shop. Both efforts are focused on improving the manufacturing process for electrical hull fitting (EHF) inserts and cable connectors. The model line efforts in these two work cells have already shown significant gains in efficiency and quality. When the work began, the team saw an estimated 10% success rate in EHF production. With the introduction of model line, they are now seeing a nearly 98% success rate.
While the initial model line concept in the Inside Machine Shop focused on efficiency and proving what was possible, this next step in the model line journey focuses on both efficiency and quality. By mapping out the entire process of a particular job, the team is able to identify pain points in the system and target those areas for improvement. Together, the team has identified issues such as material quality, material availability, engineering instruction, and the order of operations in workflow. The model line concept focuses on meeting the mechanic at the worksite. “If we’re going to be successful, everything we do has to work for the mechanic,” said St. Pierre.
The model line concept has been so effective at PNSY, this recipe for success is being shared and replicated with the other public shipyards. In August, leadership from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) visited PNSY to learn more about this initiative. Mechanics and supervisors from the machine shop, plastic fabricators, and the electronics shop all shared their model line experiences with PSNS Commander Capt. JD Crinklaw, Nuclear Engineering and Planning Manager Jeromy Hudson, and a delegation of other PSNS leadership.
PSNS Transformation Office Department Head (acting) Lisa Roth said, "The Portsmouth visit provided valuable insights into their model line evolution. Recognizing the benefits of knowledge sharing among shipyards, this trip fostered collaborative teamwork, avoiding a ‘we do it better’ mindset.”
| Date Taken: | 09.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.12.2026 10:16 |
| Story ID: | 558014 |
| Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Next Level: Moving Into the Future with Model Line, by Alana Demo, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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