Page 65: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2000)

Ship Repair & Conversion - Focus on Coatings

New Surface Cleaning Process Saves Navy On Maintenance

The paint department at Pascagoula,

Miss.-based Ingalls Shipbuilding has developed an innovative method of accomplishing business in surface preparation and painting process — sav- ing the U.S. Navy on ship upkeep and maintenance. The main premise here is reaching a goal of improving the life cycle of all Ingalls-constructed destroy- ers. "We have started a new process of cleaning and painting the assemblies before we stack them on top of one another," said paint foreman Tommy

Vick. "Now we can reach almost all sur- faces, even those we cannot see or reach with hand tools. By bringing the assem- blies down to the bare metal and with our new technique, the paint will adhere better and last longer, keeping corrosion down on the interior and exterior sur- faces."

The extension of a ship's life cycle involves a new procedure consisting of a new abrasive medium. "We replace

Black Beauty with Bar Shot in the process of cleaning assemblies," said paint foreman Jon Evans. "The contract specification allows us to power tool clean any damaged painted areas. With this new abrasive material, we can exceed the contract specifications with a better surface preparation. The charac- teristics of this surface preparation enhances the coating that is applied and gives a longer life cycle to the ship," don't underestimate importance this. ^

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Evans continued.

This new surface preparation process provides an upgrade for a quality prod- uct, with upper assemblies cleaned before being stacked on the lower half.

Following the stacking of the units - the lower assembly is then cleaned - and the abrasive material is recovered and recy- cled onsite. Ultimately, this method allows for a more productive working environment, which significantly reduces waste. "We have come up with a great way of achieving almost 100 percent in cover- age. I can see so much better what I am doing, and this provides for a more effective way of doing my job," said painter John Collins. "We went from cleaning 50-60 percent of the surface to 95 percent of the assemblies," said general paint superin- tendent Terry Hayes.

The first ship to receive this premiere procedure was Lassen, where about 25 percent of the assemblies were cleaned with this method. All of the assemblies of Bulkeley, as well as future destroyers will receive this new process resulting in improved protection of the interior sur- face of the ship.

Circle 19 on Reader Service Card

The preceding was excerpted from

Ingalls Shipbuilding's August 1999 edi- tion of The Shipbuilder.

March, 2000 Circle 276 on Reader Service Card Circle 237 on Reader Service Card 65

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While Installed in Engine • CRANKPIN AND MAIN

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MACHINING Cylinder boring, engine top decks, horizontal joints, couplings, journals

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