Year
2002
Abstract
Under the sponsorship the Department of Energy Defense Programs, the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics (VNIIEF) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) have been collaborating for over three years in developing bolt technologies, combined with sealing technologies, to produce a new method of securing material of interest. More recently, under a DOE Initiative for Proliferation Prevention Program (IPP) project, Canberra Aquila, Inc., (Aquila), has been asked to participate as a commercial partner to determine the commercial potential for this technology. Aquila was asked to apply its 20 years’ worth of experience in the Safeguards field to evaluate the technology and assist in establishing a manufacturing program within the Russian Federation (RF) to produce certified “Smart Bolt” systems both within the Russian Federation and commercially in the West. The original intention was to produce the bolts for use in safeguarding nuclear material in the Russian Federation, and, later, marketing the bolts for use in commercial applications. The Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention seeks to team former weapons scientists in the Russian Federation with commercial partners in the U.S. to develop non-weapons related products for the commercial market. The real challenge lies not only with developing unique technologies, but also with finding products of real value that can bring long-term commercial success to the teams that develop these technologies. The key to this commercial success lies in the ability to evaluate these products from a commercial perspective. This paper will describe the proposed means by which such an evaluation can take place, and the progress that has been made to date. If this product can be brought to market successfully, it can provide long-term income for former weapons scientists, a transition from defense-related research into peaceful enterprise, and a boost to employment in the manufacturing industry in the Russian Federation.