8 | 1 | 2016
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
An inside look at the first of two retractable weather covers installed in the North Yard to keep shipbuilders and new carrier construction work out of the elements. Photo by Chris Oxley
CVN 79 “Game Changer” Improves Production Environment The John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) Construction Program recently made facility improvements by installing weather covers over the Buffer Zone Platen in the North Yard. The covers started as a CVN 79 “Game Changer” and will enhance the production environment for shipbuilders during inclement weather and extreme heat. “One of the primary challenges we face on the Final Assembly Platen and in the Buffer Zone is that our shipbuilders and materials are exposed to the outdoor elements,” said CVN 79 Program Director Mike Butler. “Not only will these weather covers provide an indoor work area to protect our employees, but it also further illustrates the company’s commitment to improve our facilities for the Ford-Class Carrier Program.” The new covered 12,000-square-foot production facility offers high-efficiency lighting and utility platforms for welding and production support equipment. The facility houses necessary welding gases and compressed air, and includes two offices for crew meetings and supervisor space. The coverings can move independently from north to south for crane access or when units need to be transported in and out of the facility. The CVN 79 Program continues to actively implement production game changers like the weather covers in order to shift work off the ship and into a more cost-effective work location like the Final Assembly Platen. For general questions about the CVN 79 “Game Changer” Program, contact Mark Milius at 688-9930.
Foreman Honored for Leading Digital Shipbuilding Efforts X42 Pipe Foreman David Hodges was recognized by company leadership on July 26 for becoming the first foreman to complete 1,000 work assignments in SWiMS (Shipyard Work Integrated Management System), a component of Newport News Shipbuilding’s Integrated Digital Shipbuilding initiative. SWiMS is designed to provide foremen with all necessary information to assign work to their crew. Currently, more than 250 foremen have received training. Hodges has been using SWiMS for nearly a year. “Before SWiMS, I had to use several different programs to assign work to my crew,” he said. “Now, all the information I need is at my fingertips and in one program. Using SWiMS has saved me so much time – at least... CONTINUED ON PG 2