Halter Marine going high tech

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Halter Marine is preparing to construct the Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter in south Mississippi. In the interim, Halter Marine is acquiring robotic welding machines and a PythonX plasma cutter. The firm unveiled PythonX on Nov. 10. The PythonX will replace the traditional hand-cutting method of cutting steel. With the new device, parts will be cut by computerized numeric control (CNC). The CNC process is driven by 3D production design models. The new high tech tools will ensure Halter Marine will be ready to begin the PSC’s construction next year, according to Bob Merchent, President/CEO of Halter Marine. This machine will be used to cut sheets of steel used for the ship’s inner bottom, which must be strong enough to withstand polar temperatures and breaking through tons of ice. In addition, Halter Marine is investing in its future workforce. The company has implemented a U.S. Department of Labor-approved, four-year apprenticeship program. The first class consists of 50 people across five crafts. Halter Marine is the marine operations division of ST Engineering North America. (Source: ST Engineering 11/10/20) https://www.stengg.com/en/newsroom/news-releases/halter-marine-unveils-new-pythonx-plasma-cutter-which-puts-the-squeeze-on-steel-fabrication/