Columbia Foam Fill Transformation Analysis

The objective of this Composites Manufacturing Technology Center (CMTC) project was to evaluate alternative concepts for foam filling appendages for COLUMBIA Class submarines (CLB). Because the current process for filling appendages is labor intensive and ergonomically challenging on VIRGINIA Class submarines (VCS), and the CLB is expected to significantly exacerbate these issues due to its increased size, a new approach is sought. This was accomplished by identifying the system requirements, consulting with industry experts, brainstorming alternative solutions, and presenting alternatives based on cost, schedule, performance, and safety measures. A demonstration test article was also built during this project, so that promising foam alternatives or process changes can be tested in a simulated environment.

Existing salient requirements were identified. Once these were documented, potential solutions were identified and categorized. Finally, the solutions were compared to the baseline, and choices were made based on cost, schedule, and safety performance, as well as any other requirements determined by, and agreed to, by the project team.

The project provided data for manufacturing and acquisition cost of current syntactic foam processes and foam pouring techniques. This data, along with down selected concepts and manufacturing approaches, were used to achieve a 30 percent reduction in cycle time.

It is anticipated that the project results will be implemented in Newport News Shipbuilding’s production facility. Updated manufacturing processes developed under this project were documented for incorporation into build instructions. After securing all certifications, the material and process are anticipated to be incorporated on future builds of CLB. Implementation on new builds is expected to occur in FY2026, once the procedure has been approved through Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

*Prepared under ONR Contract N00014-21-D-7001 as part of the Navy ManTech Program.

*DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. DCN# 2024-11-6-309; Approval Date: 11/14/2024