Quality assurance at Sandia National Laboratories
Quality assurance has always been an important function at Sandia National Laboratories. From experience gained in the weapons program, Sandia has developed effective methods to guarantee high reliability in sophisticated components which must continue to be functionable in extremely adverse environments after long unattended periods of time. Weapons experience has also required that Sandia devise test activities that are adequate to detect virtually any possible type of defect that could develop in a nuclear weapon, while neither setting off actual nuclear explosions nor expending excessive amounts of valuable hardware in destructive testing. This learning experience has contributed to Sandia's QA expertise, which is now finding application in such diverse areas as research into renewable energy sources (solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, solar collectors), studies of ways to improve nuclear reactor safety, and verifying the reliability of power supplies for NASA's space probes. Sandia has also established itself as an authority in planning workable quality assurance programs for research and engineering endeavors.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6000575
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-81-1531; ON: DE82004502
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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QUALITY ASSURANCE
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SANDIA LABORATORIES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WEAPONS