An analysis of using intelligent digital data to reduce the spare and repair parts inventory for the New Attack Submarine (NSSN)

• Main Author: Honeker, Kenneth S.
• Other Authors: Euske, Kenneth J.
• Language: en_US
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2013
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/26372

Both the defense and commercial industry sectors are increasingly moving to automated manufacturing as a means to reduce costs and increase efficiency and quality. The Navy can leverage both the capabilities as well as the benefits of this technology application. For example, the acquisition of intelligent digital data in support of the new weapon systems has the potential to render a percentage of the Navy and DLA parts inventory as 'virtual'. This inventory would exist in 'effect' but not in actual form until required. The Navy has developed and demonstrated the capability to use intelligent digital data to manufacture no longer available parts in a timely and cost effective manner. The application of this technology is a natural complement to the advanced technology in computer aided design and manufacturing incorporated in the Navy's newest weapon systems under procurement, specifically, the New Attack Submarine. This thesis presents an analysis of the application of this technology. There exists a market for this technology application as demonstrated by the intelligent digital data candidate parts analysis conducted during this investigation. As a result of this analysis it was determined that the Navy can conservatively save $503 million over the life cycle of the New Attack Submarine by the applying the use intelligent digital data