Submarine tile removal rethink creates significant saving

Up to 4,000 hours of production effort will be saved on HMAS Farncomb’s upcoming full cycle docking (FCD) as a result of a change in the way tiles are removed from the submarine.

This follows a successful hull cut last year to remove equipment within the submarine more efficiently for maintenance.

Prior to each hull cut, a large number of tiles need to be removed – a task that takes approximately 17 hours per tile.

In a bid to reduce the time spent on hull cuts, a cross functional team investigated alternative methods of tile removal, including Ultra High Pressure Water Blasting.

This method was trialled on a test piece of tiling, with dramatic results.

The trial showed that the water blasting would take approximately 35 minutes to remove a tile as opposed to the 17 hours it usually takes.

In addition, an engineering assessment of the hull test piece identified that it left the hull in a better state than the previous manual method.

ASC is preparing to commence the first Full Cycle Docking (FCD) – or major maintenance activity – for a submarine under a new 10+2 schedule.

This will transition major maintenance for the Collins Class submarine fleet from a three-year FCD (with two boats overlapping) to a two-year single stream FCD.

Under the new schedule, the submarines will spend 10 years in service and two years in major maintenance.

HMAS Farncomb will be the first submarine to undergo the new 10+2 FCD

This is a key initiative following the 2012 Study into the Business of Sustaining Australia’s Strategic Collins Class Submarine Capability, otherwise known as the Coles Review, towards achieving benchmark availability by 2017.

Considerable preparation has been undertaken to review current practices and find new and innovative ways to increase effectiveness and efficiency. - ASC