Every organization, division, and group has a unique culture of shared beliefs and values that employees embrace.
The Present
Detonator production today
Our culture at Detonator Production blends independent innovation and collaboration—ideas are conceived by individuals, brought to fruition as a group, and continuously improved by all
Our culture at Detonator Production blends independent innovation and collaboration—ideas are conceived by individuals, brought to fruition as a group, and continuously improved by all. Together we work toward a unified goal: to maintain global peace and stability by ensuring a strong U.S. nuclear deterrent is in place.
Detonators fabricated at Los Alamos National Laboratory today are the result of real-time innovation. Our highly skilled experts work hands-on with every component for every type of detonator. Even though automation is an integral part of the production process, human oversight is necessary to guarantee the highest quality components and assembly.
From our goal grew a credo: Identify a problem, find a solution, verify the solution, and then standardize that solution.
Collaboration is key
Making detonators is a collaborative effort within Detonator Production; however, with an average of 130 employees, our workforce cannot do it alone. Detonator Production is supported by a variety of internal groups, such as Non-Destructive Testing and Production Agency Quality, as well as design agencies across the National Security Enterprise. Together we ensure that what is designed is buildable and what is built is of excellent quality.
Design
Balance innovation and development needs to develop designs
Quality
Ensure products meet design specifications
Production
Bring designs to life via expert fabrication
Deployed support
Detonator Production is an impressive powerhouse driven by a remarkable workforce. For certain responsibilities, we rely on professionals who officially report to other divisions across the Laboratory. We work closely with those divisions to identify skills along with aligned values and behaviors to deploy talented personnel to partner with us. Deployed personnel integrate with Detonator Production and collaborate to complete necessary tasks, projects, and ongoing initiatives. Examples of some groups that provide deployed support include quality assurance, acquisition management, computer support, document control, financial analysis, human resources, writing and editing, training, and security.
DETONATOR PRODUCTION HISTORY, NEWS, AND FEATURED STORIES
How 9/11 impacted the mission of national security laboratories
It takes a weapons lab to find a weapons lab – whether that lab is in a state-of-the-art facility inside our adversary’s border, or in a shed tucked into a mountainside
NNSA leader visits Lab, praises mission dedication, perseverance during COVID-19
Recently confirmed Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration Jill Hruby lauded the Laboratory’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and praised several significant infrastructure improvements.
What’s shaking?
Understanding underground explosions starts with better geologic models
Neutron-clustering effect in nuclear reactors demonstrated for first time
Long-theorized phenomenon observed in a working reactor could improve reactor safety, according to a new study
Los Alamos National Laboratory's Centrifuge Test Facility adds a key capability
The ability to image internal components during high-stress and -strain a major advancement
Discovery of new material could someday aid in nuclear nonproliferation
Newly discovered quasicrystal was created by the first nuclear explosion at Trinity Site
Remembering a 'true titan' of nuclear industry, Pete Lyons
Peter B. Lyons, who the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) called a "true titan" of nuclear industry, passed away in Golden, CO on Friday, April 29, following a year-long battle with cancer.
