Year
2006
Abstract
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been faced with increasing obsolescence in many of its detection instruments. As a result, it has been necessary to redesign various instruments to replace those which are aging, can no longer be maintained, or even produced. In addition to the need to produce replacement instruments, challenges remain to build these to provide the same functionality as former instruments, as well as fit into existing system designs. Tasks include: • Design limitations for fit into existing systems • Design requirements to ensure no loss in functionality • Availability of critical components for assembly, both in the short and long term • Standardized assembly lists • Qualified assembly and test engineers • Adequate means for verifying operability • Ability to produce instruments over the long term • Stockpile of parts As a result, the U.S. Support Program (USSP) to the IAEA for Safeguards, together with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Canberra Albuquerque, developed a process to assure instrument availability and reliability over the long term. This paper will discuss the USSP initiative as it relates to the replacement of the Intelligent Local Operating Network (ILON) by the LANL-designed Auxiliary Communications Device (ACD), with emphasis on the cooperative technical transfer and commercialization project between the technical designers at LANL and the manufacturing organization at Canberra Albuquerque. Highlights address the challenges listed above and will also include how the technical transfers were accomplished, synergistic technical cooperation, testing, procurement, documentation, and progress to date.