I025 - Submission for Russell Egnor Media Awards - Writing - Feature - Kristi Britt, NNSY Public Affairs Specialist - Team Albany Is "All In" For Innovation - Released 8/1/14

1. 12 Service to the Fleet, August 2014
Innovation is defined simply as
finding a better way to get things
done. Whether the change is large
or small, it is significant to how
things operate. For the USS Albany
(SSN 753) Project Team, innova-
tion is the key to success.
Dave Bittle, the Albany project
superintendent, says, “There’s an
old saying that if you do the same
old thing, you’ll get the same old
results. I like taking full
advantage of the knowledge our
people bring to the table, being
creative and blazing the trail. My
team talks to the workers who are
doing the job. They’ve got the right
idea on how things should work but
they get frustrated when they have
to use the same old tool or process.
They know what is needed to make
things better. We can utilize the
Rapid Prototype Lab to make their
ideas come to life. By doing this,
you gain the people’s trust because
they know they’re being heard and
you increase morale. because they
know you care about them. It’s like
handing them the keys to a brand
new corvette when you put their
idea in their hand and tell them to
go use it.”
Rodney Wilkins, Albany perfor-
mance coach, mentions a quote
he’d heard from his daughter:
“people who feel appreciated will
far exceed your expectations. By
listening to your people, you make
them feel appreciated.”
“You know, we’ve been so
consistent with our schedule, we’re
getting more work done with less
people. We’re maintaining a cost
performance of 1.0. A lot of this is
contributed to what we do here and
how we run things,” says Bittle.
“We’ve applied lessons learned
from USS Newport News (SSN
750) to Albany and we’re going to
continue to look for improvements
to help the USS Boise (SSN 764).
We are working to change the cul-
ture of how projects are operated
by creating a Shared Vision. We
want people who are committed
and motivated, not just compliant
and unmotivated,” says Wilkins.
Bi-Weekly
Training
Albany is the first project to
initiate biweekly training during
project execution. Geared towards
supervisors and zone managers,
though everyone is invited to at-
tend from the project, the Albany
team meets every other Thursday to
discuss issues that matter.
Topics have ranged from effec-
tive communication during pre-
shift briefs, crew boards, respira-
tory protection, and navigating the
Albany Sharepoint page.
“Team Albany is focused on
developing the members so they
become more effective leaders for
NNSY,” says Wilkins. “In addition,
Mr. Bittle wants the members to
know they are valued and that is
why we are investing the time in
their development. These are small
investments which will pay huge
dividends.”
The Vertical
Launch System
(VLS) Cable
Removal Tool
The VLS is a tight space with
little room for error, posing a great
challenge for the workers when
removing the electrical connections
onboard the project. The “Robo
Tool”, the original tool used to get
the job done, simply didn’t work
well. The device had an imperfect
design, weighed roughly 30 pounds
and made it impossible to do the
job without two or more people
handling it. In addition, hull fit-
tings would be damaged during
the removals due to the grips being
unable to latch due to it being so
large.
“The Albany project realized the
issues we were facing with this and
took a chance to make an improve-
ment,” says Eric Koenn, the Assis-
By Kristi Britt, Code 1160
Public Affairs Specialist

2. Service to the Fleet, August 2014 13
tant Chief Test Engineer for the Albany project. “We
got with the Rapid Prototype Lab (RPL) to make a
better tool for our people.”
The VLS Cable Removal Tool was developed,
reducing the number of hull fittings damaged during
removal. It is light compared to the predecessor, with
better fitting jaws and an improved vice grip.
“The new tool is lighter, easier to use and is more
practical for a one-man operation in a tight, confined
space,” says Chris McGee, an electrician on the Al-
bany project who worked with the tool.
The new tool is a work-in-progress as it doesn’t
work on all of the hull fittings as of now.
“We’ve identified room for improvement and we’re
incorporating these improvements with the guys at the
RPL,” says Koenn. “We’re looking forward to work-
ing with them and applying some lessons learned,
especially for when the Boise comes into the yard.”
“This has been a corporate-wide issue for a while,”
says Koenn. “Other shipyards are interested in what
we’re doing here with this new tool because every-
one is having the same issues. It’s going to be shared
across the corporation.”
The Vertical Launch
System Connection Box
Template
Electricians onboard Newport News faced concerns
onboard the ship inside the VLS, the cramped spaces
proving a challenge when several at a time had to lift
up an actual connection box and mark the locations for
studs to install at a later date. The box itself weighed
approximately 50 pounds and it took several people
to complete the job. There was also a high probability
that with juggling so many factors that the studs would
not line up with the box for installation.
Applying the lessons learned with the Albany
project, the team reached out to the RPL and were able
to develop the Vertical Launch System Connection
Box Template which weighs less than five pounds and
is able to be placed to line up the studs needed accu-
rately on-sight.
“There were times people had to practically lay on
one another to hold up this box and get the studs put
in,” says Sean Ellis, an electrian from the Newport
News. “It was strenuous on the workers.”
Temporary Hydraulic
System
Shop 38 and Code 292 (Conventional Weapons) has
implemented a new process for the project in regards
to torpedo tube temporary hydraulics. “A temporary
hydraulic system is installed to assist the mechanics in
operating the various components on the torpedo tubes
for maintenance work. The previous process was to
disconnect the piping unions at the various operating
cylinders and the temporary hydraulic system was
directly connected to the components’ operating
cylinders,” says Koenn. “The new process installs
several hydraulic adapters in place of the torpedo tube
component’s control valves. The temporary hydraulic
system is then connected to the hydraulic adapters.
The new process is significantly easier for the
mechanics to install and remove for several reasons.
The hydraulic cylinder pipe unions are in the overhead
surrounded by interferences. Plus the unions are
difficult to reconnect after removal of the temporary
system due to pipe ‘spring.’”