Not logged inAmerican Welding Society Forum
Forum AWS Website Help Search Login
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Northrop Gruman/Avondale shipyard
- - By chris2698 (****) Date 01-23-2010 00:32
Just read the paper today and it said that the Navy told Northrop Gruman to Decertify all the pipe welders and inspectors and retrain them because they have found over a 1000 bad welds on the ships there building. They have not flushed the pipes for when running coolant of some kind to there pumps and burning there pumps up. Said that some line that goes to the driveshaft of one of these boats was not flushed and burnt up a very expensive driveshaft.

Dam shame though hearing this although I have been told there is alot of rework there because of bad welders. I can't understand how they left the test booth, I guess they needed welders that bad and just didn't figure it would go this far.
Parent - By ssbn727 (*****) Date 01-23-2010 02:05
Here's the article from the Navy Times:

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/01/navy_ships_problems_012110w/

Here's another one also:

http://blog.usni.org/2010/01/21/navy-shipbuilding-in-crisis-2-lpd-17s-sidelined-more-bad-welds/

This one is from the Times Picayune:

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1264142004303820.xml&coll=1

Now these folks do know how to build fighting ships:

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/national/Class_of_Navy_Destroyers_Sails_Into_Record_Books_16593145

We need to bring the management from Bath down to Avondale and bring some real talent down to show how it's done! ;)

Respectfully,
Henry
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 01-23-2010 06:01
Well that might spell opportunity for a fella, ya rekon?
Parent - By chris2698 (****) Date 01-23-2010 22:47
no kiddin, I wonder how many people got fired over all this. Sounds to me they had deadlines and they just couldn't keep up and had let alot of things slide well it deffinitly caught up to them
Parent - By Iron Head 49 (***) Date 01-23-2010 11:50
I certainly don’t know all or any of the facts, but my first thoughts were:

How hard is management pushing these weldors and inspectors?
What does Northrop Gruman’s cost report look like, (losing money)?
What does Northrop Gruman’s end date schedule look like, how far behind schedule are they, and how much are the LD’s?
Same ol boilerplate response, “Blame the weldor”!
- - By rigwelder8201 (*) Date 01-23-2010 06:49
I guess thats what happens when the lowest bid wins the job. It make me sad reading this because it puts a mark on the QC's and the certified welder's of the world. You would think they would have x-ray the welds before it got that bad. But i don't know it.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 01-24-2010 00:53
Put my application in at Northrop about a month ago for an apprentice welder. Hmmm, wonder if there will be any openings??? LoL!
Parent - - By chris2698 (****) Date 01-24-2010 01:37
there's always an opening in that place LOL although maybe not after all this has started LOL supposely they had signed a 2 billion dollar contract to build another ship I had read in the paper
Parent - By Tyler1970 (***) Date 01-24-2010 02:23
Yeah they are always looking for some one. But the way I look at it, who the hell wants to crawl to the bottom of a ship and string out 400ft+ lead.
I dont mind stringing lead out. Or climbing. But a buddy named Boggie worked in Avondale. He told me that when you crawl to the bottom, its easy to get lost. And people forget about you, where you are at, and probly who you are. lol
But what ever floats your boat! Or Ship!
Parent - - By ssbn727 (*****) Date 01-24-2010 02:36
All of this hit the fan last year and the welders & inspector who didn't re-certify they got rid of... So there's quite a few new openings for welders and 2nd & Third shift supervisors as well as welding inspectors also. ;) IMHO, they need to fry some way bigger fish than just some of the welders and inspectors whom they already got rid of in order to really fix things down there...

I would say that both of you have a really good chance of getting hired there with both of your experience... So why not give it a shot until things get better???
I know I would if I could but, I'm still on the Chemo-therapy and radiation treatments... So until I kick the crap of this latest annoyance from the big C, I have to sit back and wait until I can go back to work! :)

Even though they now own the companies that used to have reputable histories with respect to Naval and commercial shipbuilding... The very names of the present corporation are and have always been associated with being aerospace greats as opposed to great shipbuilders and when I first heard the changes, I knew that there would be some managerial changes that would definitely ruin their reputations because they would put in place managers that knew nothing at all about running a great shipyard except knowing how to run them into the ground!!! :( :( :(  This news proves my worst fears from back then sadly to say! :(

Respectfully,
Henry
Parent - - By ryan gaspard (**) Date 01-24-2010 04:59
I worked on LPD 24 from Sept-09 to Dec.-09 and i can tell you first hand that this ship is just thrown together.After working there for 3 months i would be scared to ride it out in the gulf,much less use it for warfare.Over half the hands that worked on it could not speak english,so how could they understand what there job duty was.Over 95% of ur work was looked over by a lead-man that new less than you new.I might have seen my supervisor on the boat 5 times a week.I was laid off the week before Christmas due to lack of work.
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 01-24-2010 05:27 Edited 01-24-2010 05:32
HEY HANK!!!!!!      how much they pay for those "2nd & Third shift supervisors as well as welding inspectors also"   if it is enough I will foot the xtra money for a suite and pay the cover at the strip bar if ya wanna go hang out down there for a bit.   

EDIT matter of fact I will buy the beer every night as well, BTW I drink really expensive beer.

Tommy
Parent - - By ssbn727 (*****) Date 01-24-2010 05:51
I wouldn't mind taking you up on that offer, only I cannot take a break from the chemo and radiation therapy right now...
So why don't you go down there now, and when I get off of the poison...
I'll come down and join you so that we can both whip the place back into shape and have it working the way it should be - Deal???
Btw, you wouldn't have to worry about the beer because I don't drink, and only require soda instead. :) :) :)

Respectfully,
Henry
Parent - By chris2698 (****) Date 01-24-2010 05:56
I've talked to a couple of guys i work with and one really liked it there but I really don't know why he isn't still there, I assume it was a drug problem with him. I figure why not try it out, hell if it sucks that bad I'll leave but for now I'm gonna wait out some things at work and see what happens
Parent - - By mtlmster (**) Date 01-24-2010 15:43
Henry:  Sorry to hear of your illness.  I know I remember reading in an earlier post that you had been ill, but I didn't know for what?  We'll be praying for you!

Take Care:
Steve
Parent - - By 803056 (*****) Date 01-24-2010 19:09
Speaking of inspection; NAVSEA TP271 is being rewritten (if it isn't completed already). They were considering accepting the credentials of the CWI and SCWI that were qualified in accordance with QC1, but the shipyards had a hissy fit over the prospect that a third party might have some influence on how their inspectors were trained and qualified. The shipyard (won't say which one it was) was successful in having the AWS QC1 program relined.

It sounds to me as if it would be a good idea to bring in some outside influence for the training and qualification of the visual welding inspectors. Maybe there is a need to replenish the gene pool and put an end to the incest.

Best regards - Al
Parent - - By CWI555 (*****) Date 01-25-2010 14:47
The problems they've been having are not new ones. It is a cultural problem at those yards. Get er done rules the day. Until the culture changes, the problems will persist no matter how many they fire or otherwise realign.
Parent - By chris2698 (****) Date 01-26-2010 00:28
I know what you mean, I kinda feel the same way at where i work been having the get er done attitude for a while now and as much as I try and not weld crap it just sometimes comes up because there pushing you so dam hard.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Northrop Gruman/Avondale shipyard

Powered by mwForum 2.29.2 © 1999-2013 Markus Wichitill