Project Number: S2981

Project Title: Portable Shipyard Pipe Inspection

Period of Performance: APR24 – FEB26

To complete a visual pipe cleanliness inspection, inspectors for Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of HII, (Ingalls) frequently have to crawl on their hands and knees with a flashlight to complete an inspection of the pipe, making notes on paper as they inspect each pipe system. The inspector must complete an internal pipe inspection by shining a flashlight into the pipe system and inspecting it based on what can be seen from their vantage point outside the pipe.

The goal of the Center for Naval Metalworking (CNM) project is to create and test a robotic system for visually inspecting ferrous and non-ferrous pipe systems with a diameter ranging from 4″ to 8.” This system should be able to capture and store inspection videos, have live streaming capability, and be capable of retrieving any foreign debris found during the inspection.

This project will be completed in two phases over a 22-month period. Phase I will involve defining the baseline requirements for the prototype. Afterward, a robotic vendor will design a prototype system based on those requirements. In Phase II, the robotic vendor will build and test the prototype system in a mock-up test environment.

Ingalls anticipates this effort will enable significant reductions in labor and rework. This CNM project is expected to provide an estimated savings of $703K per DDG hull or $1.9M for the combined platforms of DDG, LHA, LPD. This results in potential five-year savings of $3.5M for DDG or $5.9M for Ingalls’ combined platforms.

The project results will be implemented at Ingalls’ Pascagoula, MS, facility across the DDG, LHA, and LPD platforms. Implementation is anticipated to occur in the third quarter of fiscal year 2027.