NAVSEA launches innovation fund

The US’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has created a Naval Shipyard Innovation Fund of US$1 million to test shipyard projects designed to reduce the time and cost of repairing and returning ships to the fleet.

Under the program NAVSEA will evaluate these shipyard-proposed and shipyard-executed projects monthly and at the end of the fiscal year to ensure each meets its goals in time, quantity, safety and cost projections.

Each project must demonstrate the anticipated results to continue its funding.

One of the pilot programs is automated tracking of paper and parts through radio-frequency identification (RFID). Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has already gained cost and schedule benefits through RFID tracking of boat components and work instruction across its industrial complex.

Seven other initiatives are now underway across NAVSEA shipyards including terahertz and infrared thermography for insulated piping, as well as a range of advanced manufacturing processes and better information transfer techniques.