Navy Joining Center

Operating as a Navy ManTech Center of Excellence, the mission of the Navy Joining Center (NJC) is to improve the life-cycle affordability and mission capability of critical Navy weapons systems through the implementation of materials joining technology. The Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award has been twice presented to an NJC project team (first in 2005 and again in 2007) in recognition of their outstanding performance.

The NJC has been operated by Edison Welding Institute, Inc. (EWI) since 1993. EWI is North America’s leading engineering and technology organization dedicated to welding and materials joining. EWI is a unique resource for innovation, development, and application of manufacturing technologies to improve product performance, producibility, and affordability for more than 3,000 member company locations.

Materials joining is the primary means of fabricating and maintaining the ships, aircraft, weapons, and advanced electronics that are the core of modern Navy forces. Joining technology has a major impact on life-cycle affordability as well as requirements for deployability, survivability, lethality, and stealth of Navy weapons platforms. Welds in surface ships and submarines must meet the highest standards of strength and integrity to withstand the rigors of ocean environments and hostile attack. Aircraft engines demand high-strength welded and brazed joints, often in exotic materials.

The NJC develops, deploys, and disseminates emerging materials joining technologies to benefit the United States Navy and U.S. industry. NJC projects reduce the risks associated with innovation while providing significant improvements in the performance, quality, productivity, life-cycle cost, and availability of Navy systems.

EWI and the NJC Team Partners represent a collaborative effort between industry, academia, and government that is experienced in identifying materials joining needs, developing and deploying solutions, and transferring the technology to the industrial base.

The mission of the Navy ManTech Program is to improve the affordability of Department of the Navy (DON) systems by engaging in manufacturing initiatives that address the entire weapon system life-cycle.