A team from Groton and Quonset Point headed to New Hampshire-based Hypertherm Associates this week to get a closer look at a modern automated plasma gouging process designed to streamline hull fabrication. The visit was part of a broader effort across Electric Boat to bring more advanced, state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing tools into the shipyard.
EB plans to introduce this latest technology in coming months. It’s expected to significantly reduce submarine build time, particularly for hull sections.
“One machine will be able to cut the hull, bevel the hull, gouge the hull. That’s a big deal,” said Todd Gigliotti, an EB general foreman in D237 Temporary Services who was part of the team visiting Hypertherm’s Lebanon, New Hampshire, facility.
Plasma gouging isn’t new to heavy industry, but today’s systems are far more precise, quieter, and cleaner – and a vast improvement over traditional carbon arc gouging. The new technology reduces noise and fumes, which can make for a better and safer work experience on the deckplate. The process also leaves cleaner gouges and reduces the amount of follow‑up grinding — something our trades know can save real time and effort.
Hypertherm’s setup is designed for automation, which means it could support more consistent results and help EB reduce some of the secondary operations that slow production. Canada’s Servo-Robot Inc. was on site to show how their laser-camera guidance systems help automate the gouging path.
Gigliotti said EB has been working closely with the two companies for a couple of years, pushing them to make their unique, innovative technologies work together. “They’re way ahead of a lot of companies,” he said.
This kind of productivity-boosting innovation will help EB meet the Navy’s priority of building one Columbia‑class and two Virginia‑class submarines per year. Bringing in modern tools, improving workflow efficiency and making jobs safer are all part of strengthening our overall production capability.
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