600. Weight Control Program Involving Overhauls and Conversions of Naval Vessels

Paper

Abstract

Major overhauls and conversions of United States Naval vessels, currently being undertaken and others in the planning stage, will confront weight engineers with a variety of problems. Most apparent of these will be that of meeting the weight control requirements, now included in contracts and specifications in the design, overhaul and conversion phases. Por most of us, it will make it necessary to revise and improve our ship weight control programs. In order to accomplish that objective, it Is the goal of this paper to present and discuss a timely and effective program for design and shipyard activities to consider.
Experience has shown that weight control procedures, used for new construction of ships, are not directly extendable to an overhaul or conversion program. There is an apparent need for weight studies to be accomplished by the design or overhauling activity, sufficiently In advance of the start of the overhaul, to permit Its orderly review and assessment. Maximum use is to be made of existing design studies for similar tasks already completed or made available from other yards. The importance of assigning experienced personnel for a more accurate inventory and assessment of the ship, throughout the overhaul or conversion period, cannot be overemphasized. Among the subjects discussed are:
1) The events leading to the present control requirements
2) General approach to weight control
3) Design agent’s weight estimate
4) Weights on working plans
5) Where the emphasis of weight control is to be applied
6) The degree of material and component weighing
7) Special weight problems
8) Communication
9) Report generation
It may be concluded that the weight engineer’s struggle to influence others of the importance of weight control continues. Assistance is still needed to accomplish the mutual objective of delivering a most satisfactory ship that meets requirements and has the potential for future improvements.