This paper analyzes the manufacturing of tee shapes for stiffening ship structure. The traditional method of deflanging hot-rolled I-beams (producing l/T shapes) has been compared to the practice of fabricating tee-shapes from plate. A group of more than 1700 l/T shapes, used in the DDG-51 class vessel, was used for comparisons. To produce the l/T shapes for one DDG, flanges are stripped from more than 700 tonnes (690 long tons) of I-beams. The flange material removed amounts to 25% of the weight of the original I-beams, totaling approximately 172 tonnes (170 tons). This represents a material loss of 25%, easily in excess of $90 000. Prior review of design criteria for several DDG stiffened plate structures showed that fabricated tees could replace l/T shapes, resulting in weight savings averaging 18%, while still maintaining required strength. An evaluation of methods to produce tee sections was undertaken, and the concept of "net shape" fabrication of tee stiffeners was discussed. Both fabricating and stripping methods were considered, including newer technologies such as plasma cutting and laser cutting and welding. Mock-up testing was performed using several candidate technologies and the results compared. Plasma-arc cutting reduced distortion on 12.2 m (40 ft) test beams by 50% compared to oxyfuel methods. Economic analysis revealed that fabricated tees were less costly to produce than deflanged I-beams, and that handling functions were the greatest cost element of the traditional oxyfuel cutting methodology.