U.S. Navy Nuclear Submarine Program

Situation

The North American facility of a market leader in ship power solutions manufactures propulsion systems for the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine program. Due to the size and complexity of the systems, production is limited to a maximum of two systems per year. The component finishing process involves both abrasive blasting and paint and coatings, and only takes up about six weeks of the entire production process. Air make-up is available and material handling is performed by overhead cranes. A fixed metal enclosure with installed dust collectors and paint arrestors would require this enclosure to be equipped with a retractable roof opening to accommodate the overhead cranes. In addition, a permanent enclosure would reduce the usable floor space of the production facility.

Solution

Duroair suggested the use of its fully portable, vented DuroCap™ indoor air purification system plus an interchangeable dust collection system in combination with a custom-designed DuroRoom™ retractable enclosure. The DuroCap™ unit and the dust collector each provide optimal air handling capacity while the patented Taper Draft Airflow Technology improves drying times and optimizes overspray control. The DuroRoom™ enclosure retracts to 20% of the extended length when not in use.

Results

The result is efficient material flow via maneuvering components to the retracted enclosure, after which the enclosure is extended around the component prior to the finishing stage. Material handling with overhead cranes is not impeded while the use of existing floor space is maximized. While installation of a fixed metal enclosure requires about three weeks, the Duroair solution was up and running in just three days, resulting in a 10% reduction in capital costs and a 25% savings in installation costs.