To face challenges associated with reduced shipbuilding budgets and the need for increased material availability, the Machine Readable Material Transaction was proposed, accepted and is currently in development at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Machine Readable Material Transaction is the processes and tools required to provide a machine readable identification (i.e. license plate) and scanning capability for tracking and identifying individual items, containers of material, and loose materials at various locations and workflows throughout the shipyard. The effort facilitates:

* reduced cycle time of material transactions by moving from paper driven processes to electronic driven processes

* increased accuracy by minimizing the manual entry of material transaction data by utilizing scanning technology and bar-coding

* reduced re-buys by locating lost, damaged or cannibalized material

* retention of material identification and history during consumption by capturing: * “what” is the material * “when” was it received or last moved * “where” was its last known location * “why” was it moved, and * “who” was the last person to touch it

The purpose of the effort is to ensure visibility, traceability, and accountability for material (purchased and fabricated) from receipt through delivery to the end user. This paper discusses the use of these processes and tools to support U.S. Navy ship construction modernization and cost reduction goals at Ingalls Shipbuilding.

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