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COVER

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYLife Cycle Engineering (LCE) provides the certified leadership and resources to help U.S. Navy

ships assess their shipboard equipment, correct equipment casualties, ensure configuration con-

trol, improve self-sufficiency, increase operational availability and improve readiness.

LCE has a long history of providing top-notch subject matter experts (SMEs) in support of the wa-

terfront. To build on this success and address the needs of the deck plate sailor, LCE has developed

the Shipboard Equipment Assessment Coach (SEA Coach®) Program. To become a SEA Coach an

individual must certify via a rigorous, ISO-compliant certification process that includes an assess-

ment of technical knowledge and mentoring/communication abilities.

What is a SEA Coach? A SEA Coach is an SME with extensive experience in ship equipment operation and maintenance.

Our involvement increases crew self-sufficiency and operational availability, while reducing crew

maintenance time, thereby improving fleet readiness.

LCE SEA Coaches:• Help U.S. Navy crews assess their shipboard equipment and provide technical support for

evaluating and correcting fleet equipment discrepancies.

• Increase crew self-sufficiency and operational availability, while reducing crew maintenance

time, thereby improving fleet readiness.

• Improve maintenance availability planning, accuracy of the Current Ships Maintenance

Project (CSMP), and oversee equipment repair.

• Provide troubleshooting, fault isolation, root cause analysis, logistical support, system resto-

ration and maximum deck plate training to Ship’s Force (SF) personnel including distance

support and over-the-shoulder training to help individuals become more self-sufficient.

• Actively review remote equipment performance data and engage in a two-way distance sup-

port process that ensures optimal equipment operation and enhanced equipment availability.

Learn more about our SEA Coach program in these videos:Meet our SEA Coaches

Sailor Training and Ship Video

http://youtu.be/mJYD8d2-7kQhttp://youtu.be/JWv99lEl4Q4

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Ensuring Functional Air-Conditioning Units Helps to Keep Destroyer at Sea

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) is a NAVSEA Echelon IV command

responsible for providing technical assistance, equipment assessment, and industrial maintenance

oversight for Hull, Mechanical & Electrical (HM&E) and Combat Systems equipment on U.S. Navy

surface ships, aircraft carriers, and submarines in the port of Hampton Roads, Virginia.

DDG-51 Class Destroyers Have Unique Air-Conditioning Plant Systems The DDG-51 class destroyers were built with five air-conditioning (A/C) plants, two of which are

located in the same compartment. These units provide climate control and equipment cooling

throughout the vessel via a chilled-water looped distribution system. While the vessel is underway a

minimum of two air conditioning plants must be operating to maintain the temperature/humidity

within the vessel as well as remove the heat generated by the operating equipment.

The two A/C plants located in the same compartment (numbers 2 and 3) share the same chilled-wa-

ter piping. The units are not normally operated at the same time due to variations in their respec-

tive chilled-water pump capacities resulting in one plant “dead heading” (restricting chilled-water

flow), causing it to shut down.

LCE’s SEA Coach Helps Restore Air Conditioning Units to Operating ConditionWhile conducting an assessment of the air condition-

ing plants on board the USS Gravely (DDG 107), Life

Cycle Engineering’s SEA Coach found that the number

2 unit was not operational due to work being accom-

plished on its chilled water pump. The number 3 unit (in the same space) was not operational due

to pending repairs to its compressor.

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Ensuring Functional Air-Conditioning Units Helps to Keep Destroyer at Sea Cont.

The assessment revealed that of the five A/C plants on board, only one was fully operational. The

Destroyer Squadron and Operational Commander were extremely concerned because the vessel

was due to go to sea in four days. One of five units in operating condition was below the minimum

established requirement for safe vessel operations while at sea and would preclude the ship being

able to leave.

The SEA Coach was able to bring two more units (numbers 1 and 4) on line. However the Chief

Engineer’s biggest concern was numbers 2 and 3, the two amidships A/C plants. Should anything

happen to the number 4 unit while the ship was at sea there would be no air conditioning available

for the vital electronics equipment located in the aft half of the vessel, forcing the ship to return to

port early.

A Creative Engineering Solution Builds Cross-Connected Systems to Keep Ships at SeaThe Chief Engineer’s initial idea was to have his people construct jumpers for the number 3 chilled

water pump to supply chilled water to the number 2 A/C unit. The SEA Coach accompanied the

Chief Engineer, Auxiliaries Officer, and the Engineering Department’s senior enlisted person to

the space to review the possibilities. While there was no reference in the Engineering Operational

Sequencing System (EOSS) for casualty line up, the SEA Coach hand-over-hand traced the piping

and discovered the system could indeed be aligned to allow the number 3 pump to supply water to

the number 2 unit.

The SEA Coach helped to draw a single line diagram illustrating the valve line-up required to

cross-connect the systems. Ships force wrote a temporary standing order authorized by the Chief

Engineer for this line-up and the ship was able to get underway with four operational A/C units.

This alignment has class-wide application because all DDG-51 class destroyers (approximately 60

ships) have this air-conditioning plant system piping configuration. LCE’s SEA Coach is currently

working on submitting this line-up to NAVSEA to have it included in all DDG EOSSs for casualty

cross-connections for these plants. Flight II DDGs have an additional A/C unit in the same space as

the number 1 A/C, designated as the number 1A unit. The SEA Coach is investigating if those plants

could be configured in much the same way and will submit his finding to NAVSEA. This would

affect approximately half of the DDGs in the fleet.

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By Correctly Diagnosing a Diesel Generator Maintenance Problem, LCE Helps the Navy Create a Fleet-wide Fix

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) provides the Navy’s primary

technical expertise and facilities for both naval machinery research and development and naval

machinery lifecycle engineering. NSWCPD is responsible for the machinery systems core equity

of the Ship and Ship Systems Product Area for the United States Navy and serves as a central point

for academia and industry to join forces with Navy technical experts to develop solutions to needs

in naval machinery. Consistent with its core equity responsibility, NSWCPD fulfills key functions

including research, design, development, shipboard and land-based test and evaluation, acquisi-

tion support, in-service engineering, Fleet engineering, integrated logistics support and concepts,

and overall life cycle engineering.

LCE Helps Navy Ships Perform the Right Maintenance at the Right TimeLife Cycle Engineering directly supports the Diesel Maintenance Strategy (DMS) program that

was established to reduce the growth in diesel engine work performed within ship availabilities

and perform the right maintenance at the right time. Main Propulsion and Ships Service Diesel

Engines are included within the strategy:

• Improve Navy efficiency with availability planning and execution

• Investigate the root cause of diesel engine availability growth work

• Provide recommended actions to reduce diesel engine growth work

• Ensure all parts are on hand prior to entering the availability, reducing long lead-time

material cost

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• Perform the correct maintenance based on engine condition

• Utilize standardized work specifications

• Plan engine maintenance according to the established DMS Life Cycle Maintenance (LCM)

matrix

• An Amphibious USN ship recently executed a Continuous Maintenance Availability (CMAV)

which included planned DMS Life Cycle Maintenance actions to the Main Propulsion and

Ships Service Diesel Engines.

Replacing Diesel Generator Fuel Injectors Results in Lubrication Problems and Places the Engine Out of ServiceOne of the Ship’s Service Diesel Generator (SSDG) fuel injectors were scheduled for replacement in

accordance with the DMS Life Cycle Maintenance Plan operating hours’ time-based service life. The

fuel injectors were replaced following the onboard, approved Technical Manuals and the associated

Preventive Maintenance System (PMS) Maintenance Requirements Card (MRC).

Once maintenance was completed, an operational test was conducted to certify the accomplished

work. As required by onboard Engineering Operational Procedures (EOP) and PMS, a lube oil sam-

ple was drawn and tested; the results indicated high fuel oil dilution to the lubricating oil, placing

the engine in a restricted, out-of-service condition.

Ship’s Force asked the assigned LCE SEA Coach DMS Diesel Lifecycle Engineering Representative

(DLER) to help determine the root cause of lube oil fuel dilution and to validate the maintenance

procedures used to complete the fuel injector replacements.

Root Cause Diagnosis Uncovers Unsuitable Replacement Parts and Yields a Fleet-wide FixAfter discussion with Ship’s Force personnel, the

SSDG was tagged out in accordance with onboard

Engineering directives and the LCE SEA Coach

helped the onboard maintenance personnel inspect

the engine to determine the root cause of fuel oil

dilution of the lube oil. They concluded that fuel was

leaking from all six fuel injector bodies into the cylin-

der heads, then draining into the engine lube oil sump, resulting in the lube oil fuel dilution.

By Correctly Diagnosing a Diesel Generator Maintenance Problem, LCE Helps the Navy Create a Fleet-wide Fix Cont.

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The LCE SEA Coach then assisted Ship’s Force with a review of the onboard Technical Manuals and

the associated Maintenance Requirements Card procedures. Comparing the onboard procedures

with the most recent Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) technical documentation provided

by Caterpillar revealed that the onboard procedures were obsolete and had not been updated to

meet the OEM installation procedures. Furthermore, a comparison of the O-ring software materi-

als used during the fuel injector replacements with the OEM list of approved materials showed that

even though the supply system-issued O-rings were in accordance with onboard supply parts provi-

sioning documentation, they were not an approved suitable replacement for the OEM O-Rings.

The root cause of the fuel migrating past the injector bodies into the engine was due to the use of

non-approved, unsuitable replacements for the OEM O-rings. The sub-standard O-rings allowed

fuel to leak by due to insufficient sealing area at the injector body to the cylinder head fuel cavity.

Ship’s Force procured the correct OEM-approved fuel injector O-rings, and with assistance from

the LCE SEA Coach, conducted the removal and O-ring change-outs in accordance with the correct

OEM technical procedures. Ship’s Force removed the contaminated lube oil and replenished with

new oil, installed new lube oil filters, and then operationally tested the SSDG. All observed operat-

ing conditions reported normal within specified operating parameters. After successful opera-

tional testing, a lube oil sample was drawn and tested normal with no fuel dilution. The SSDG was

placed back into operational service with no restrictions.

The LCE SEA Coach briefed the Engineering department and provided all findings to the NSWCPD

ISEA Team Lead for submission of Technical and Supply provisioning feedback reports. The

findings will correct the obsolete technical documentation and address the procurement of the

non-suitable aftermarket O-rings throughout the Fleet.

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LCE’s SEA Coach to the Rescue: Troubleshooting a Machinery Control System to Get Ship Repairs Back on Schedule

The mission of COMNAVAIRPAC (Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet) is to support the

Pacific Fleet and Unified Commands by providing combat-ready Naval Aviation Forces which are

trained, manned, interoperable, maintained and supported. This includes 79 squadrons operating

1,600 aircraft and six aircraft carriers.

Required Modifications to Machinery Control Systems Weren’t Functioning as Designed, Potentially Delaying a Ship’s Return to ServiceThe USS Nimitz (CVN 68) had been undergoing an extensive COMNAVAIRPAC-funded availabil-

ity repair period which was rapidly approaching its final testing, sea trials and completion date.

COMNAVAIRPAC awards contracts to external organizations known as Alteration Installation

Teams (AITs) based upon bids submitted, which contain the organization’s proof it can successful-

ly accomplish the scope of work.

For three months, an AIT worked on installing new, and modifying existing, Machinery Control

System (MCS) Input / Output (IO) boxes to support the addition of numerous new (and removing

a few legacy) Halocarbon monitoring alarm circuits. Halocarbon gas monitors are very important

to ship and sailor safety because they detect high levels of refrigerant gases that can asphyxiate

occupants of a confined space.

Once the installations and removals were completed, neither the AIT nor the shipyard’s planning,

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engineering and testing department could determine why the new MCS IO box installation would

not communicate correctly on the network or why the newly installed Halocarbon alarm circuits

would not function as designed.

A Lack of Expertise with Machinery Control Systems Prevented Completing the Necessary UpdatesThe shipyard’s planning and engineering department personnel didn’t have a detailed knowledge

of the internal baseline MCS IO box construction or how its internal circuitry worked.

The contracted AIT had never performed the scope of work required to install new MCS IO boxes,

alarm modules, harnesses or verification of a MCS IO box’s functionality. Additionally, the AIT’s

lead installer was not trained on electronic equipment installation and testing or pulled fiber

installation and testing.

The planning yard and AIT used a pre-existing, retired-in-place MCS IO box to save money and

time. They assumed that all baseline IO box internal hardware components existed and functioned,

and all internal baseline circuits functioned as designed. No preliminary inspection or testing was

performed by either team to confirm both assumptions.

Enlisting the Help of an Experienced SEA Coach Results in Speedy Troubleshooting, a Functioning MCS and Enhanced Skills for the Ship’s TechniciansLCE provided a SEA Coach – a NSWCPD C519 MCS Networks Subject Matter Expert for both soft-

ware installation/operation and hardware installation/operation – for a one-week onsite visit in the

Bremerton shipyard onboard CVN 68. The tasking was to troubleshoot and repair the entire MCS

Halocarbon installation.

The SEA Coach completed the task in one-third of the scheduled time, resulting in the AIT being

able to report completion of the Ship Change Document (SCD). This led directly to the ship begin-

ning Dock Trials, Fast Cruise and Sea Trials on schedule.

Not only did the SEA Coach resolve all installation and testing issues associated with this SCD

within two days, he also identified, troubleshot and repaired four other MCS IO boxes which were

exhibiting the same communication and alarm-circuit functionality problems. He also provided

recommendations for all MCS-related items listed in the Current Ship’s Maintenance Project

(CSMP) and reviewed the ship’s calibration report for MCS sensors, providing recommended ac-

tions to correct all deficiencies. As an added benefit to the ship, the SEA Coach provided four days

of on-the-job training to two CVN 68 technicians responsible for the MCS network. This enhanced

their knowledge of troubleshooting techniques and MCS IO box modules, wiring harnesses and

internal circuits.

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SEA COACH CUSTOMERS

SEA Coach CapabilitiesLCE’s SEA Coach team has a wide range of experience including these areas:

• Main Propulsion

• Auxiliary Equipment

• Combat Systems

• Firefighting

• Logistics

• Structural

• Electrical

To learn more about how the SEA Coach program can serve you, please email info@LCE.com or visit www.LCE.com

https://www.lce.com/SEA-Coach-Program-550.html