The award went to the Sandia team that makes neutron generators for U.S. nuclear weapons, a tiny component that gives a boost to a detonating nuclear weapon. The United States has not built new nuclear weapons for nearly two decades, but neutron generators need regular replacement.
Sandia makes about 500 per year, and in recent years has streamlined operations, reducing by 25 percent the number of staff needed to do the work, according to Kathleen McCaughey, director of the neutron generator team.
The award is named after Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo, who helped pioneer Toyota's renowned high-efficiency manufacturing techniques.
The award honored Sandia's work to make its neutron generator manufacturing operations "leaner," McCaughey said in an interview.
The award goes beyond manufacturing to encompass Sandia's oversight of the entire neutron generator life cycle, including design and monitoring the generators over their stockpile life. The neutron generator group has a staff of 217 and a budget of $80 million per year.
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