Y-12 Blog
Ensley W. is an enthusiastic go-getter who joined the UPF Project as an ironworker apprentice in June 2024 while attending Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Knoxville.
“I chose to go to TCAT because I wanted a better life, and welding was intriguing,” she said. “I wanted to know how to weld for artistic reasons but quickly figured out that the skill could offer me a lot more as a career.”
Raised by a single mother, Ensley said her mom worked two or three jobs to provide for her and her two siblings, and with her grandparents’ help, she was able to work a part‑time job and attend welding school at TCAT.
After posting a video on Facebook of a welding bend test that she did in a TCAT class, she was contacted by a friend who told her to check out the local union because it was hiring welders. What was intended to be a meet and greet at the local union hall turned into a job offer to work on the UPF Project.
When asked about working with her UPF Project team, she said, “It’s a lot easier to come to work when you like your coworkers. It’s like working with your brothers. They are teaching me a lot and are very helpful. This is a cool thing to be a part of — being able to build something that will keep us all safe is awesome.”
The opportunity to take advantage of this type of career path is not lost on her. With emotion in her voice, she said, “I now have the opportunity to go higher. My mom and grandparents are very proud of me because I have the option to advance my life. They are happy and excited for the path that I am on.”
Being part of the CNS craft family is important to her after her apprenticeship graduation. “I would love to stay on the project after I top out. The promotion track is incredible. They incentivize you to stay and do a good job. The opportunity to learn is all around.”
Bruce B., union steward, is pleased with Ensley’s progress.
“She is a very good apprentice. She came to us straight out of high school and is a very quick learner,” Brown said. “Apprentices are able to acquire on‑the‑job‑training and true‑life experiences that they cannot get in the classroom or from books. They learn how to deal with different situations and people. They also learn the importance of ethics, honesty, and how to achieve quality work. Training of apprentices properly is critical to the continuation of the union and the construction industry. So, I feel it is very important to have apprentices on this project — our future depends on it.”
To anyone considering a trade school as a college alternative, Ensley offers, “I would tell them to go for it. It’s 3 to 5 years of your life, and there are so many benefits to being part of the union. You can be successful if you stick with it. Having a skill like this affords people opportunities for a better life.”
She graduated from the TCAT welding program in August 2024 and will complete the apprenticeship program in April 2027. Since graduating, she has been asked by TCAT instructors to monitor and judge student bend tests. To date, there are 100 apprentices working on the UPF Project.
Take 5 minutes to learn about Aprell P., a Y-12 Prevention Program sustainability engineer.
Chances are if you encounter Aprell P., you will pick up on her sunny disposition. It is no surprise that she is “sunny,” since improving the environment and ensuring Y‑12 is compliant with sustainability/pollution prevention‑related requirements is a large part of her job. She has been a Y‑12er for more than 20 years, but she supported Y‑12 and other industries as a subcontractor before that.
Aprell considers the Y‑12 workforce a family. “The biggest and best surprise [of being part of Y‑12] is that Y‑12 is not just a job or place to work — it truly is a family. We are so very blessed to be part of this wonderful, eclectic family referred to as Y‑12.”
Her subcontractor years included working at the site in the mid‑1990s. “The site’s landscape has changed very much since 1995 due the cleanup activities that have been completed [many of which her organization has led]. We focused on real‑time material disposition, which allows materials to be reused/repurposed/recycled/etc. for their value rather than having to become waste.”
In her role, she works with other Nuclear Security Enterprise sites that are also required to complete sustainability and pollution prevention/waste minimization initiatives. “It’s great to see all the sites working to be more sustainable and resilient,” she said. Part of that job includes implementing solutions identified as part of the Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Plan process. The goal of the plan is to reduce the impacts of each site’s identified climate hazards.
Earlier this year, Aprell received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement award, which recognizes long‑time DOE Sustainability Champions who have dedicated significant amounts of time to making DOE sustainable. DOE noted:
…[Aprell’s] unwavering leadership in sustainability at Y‑12 has resulted in the diversion of nearly 8,000 metric tons of material, the recycling of nearly 6‑million pounds of material, and the reduction of 35,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Aprell’s dedication has cemented long‑term relationships across Y‑12, facilitating a sustainable mindset and true behavioral change.
If you congratulate Aprell on her award, she shrugs off the praise and says she is just one part of the team.
“I’m one person within Sustainability and Stewardship who works to ensure all other Y‑12 organizations are educated about our site sustainability and pollution prevention policies,” she said. “It takes all of us to be a success. Y‑12 is a beautiful site, with spectacular sunrises/sunsets in this valley. My team and coworkers help to ensure that beauty lasts for future generations.”
Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult? If so, describe how you got here.
From an early age, my goals were to be an astronaut, work at a fire department, and/or protect our resources in some fashion. It was really all about the cool vehicles/trucks, the dalmatian, and trees/animals. Since coming to Y‑12, all of those goals have been fulfilled: Y‑12 made the moon box that is now at the Smithsonian, which my family and I visit on every trip to D.C., and I’ve had the pleasure of supporting the entire site, including the Y‑12 Fire Department, in preserving and protecting our natural resources.
What is your favorite aspect about your work environment? How does that aspect make you know the mission is being met?
Sustainability and Stewardship tries to keep it a secret, but we have the best jobs at Y‑12! We have the honor of supporting every Y‑12 organization in some fashion (i.e., reuse of materials, recycling, excess, sanitary waste collection, waste minimization, sustainability/pollution prevention, etc.). The enjoyment of getting to come to work each day is that the entire team at Y‑12 is working toward common goals that include being the best stewards of our nation’s resources.
Provide an example of an outside‑of‑the‑box solution to a difficult work‑related problem.
In support of conserving our natural resources, during the early planning stages of the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF), we had the privilege of supporting Environmental Compliance, UPF project managers, site leadership, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Forest Management specialists, and other organizations as part of the 2016 Earth Day activities. We highlighted an estimated 160‑year‑old Hemlock tree (more than 100 feet tall and more than 8 feet in circumference) that was in the 1942 aerial photos of the site, but it was in the path of the UPF main thoroughfare. This collaboration effort and historical knowledge saved the tree — as UPF was able to move the then-planned road to the north of the Hemlock tree with no impact to the UPF project.
In the years since, this Hemlock tree has produced several “daughters” in the land around it, helping to ensure this keystone species’ longevity at Y‑12.
The Y‑12 master site planner had the land around the tree set aside as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design off‑site for the UPF Construction Support Building, so it is now considered “off‑site,” which helps ensure the Hemlock tree and its grove of “daughters” will not be disturbed. Most people just drive right by the tree as they go in and out of the site, but it is really satisfying to have the pleasure of seeing this majestic tree each day.
Daniel Riddick, Y‑12 Technology Transfer program manager, engaged with potential partners at NNSA’s Innovation Day in Arlington, VA.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) established Innovation Day to enhance future collaborations, technology transfer, and mission‑critical capabilities. The widely attended event offered opportunities for business owners, inventors, and Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) labs, plants, and sites to connect on potential collaborations. Y‑12 National Security Complex was able to build new connections and further develop current ones by attendance at the forum.
“NNSA carries forward the legacy of the Manhattan Project, which represents the starting point for leveraging academia and the private sector for defense innovation,” said Jahleel Hudson, director of NNSA’s Technology and Partnerships Office. “NNSA Innovation Day brought together potential commercial partners and our NSE laboratories, plants, and sites to identify synergies that can enhance our national security and economic prosperity. We appreciate the participation of our NSE sites, such as Y‑12, who brought their expertise to Innovation Day and featured their technologies invented in the course of nuclear security mission work that can transition to commercial solutions to stimulate business growth and improve our daily lives.”
NNSA’s Innovation Day in Arlington, VA. (Photo by Grant Allard.)
Innovation Day was beneficial for Y‑12, with staff making 19 industry connections and receiving a number of inquiries on potential partnership opportunities. Y‑12 Partnerships and Technology Transfer leadership also engaged with DOE and NNSA to share Y‑12’s approach of using technology transfer for mission work, employing data analytics, and integrating technology transfer into the site’s university partnerships portfolio.
“Attending events like Innovation Day and establishing connections is crucial,” said Daniel Riddick, Y‑12 Technology Transfer program manager. “We created positive momentum and developed connections with potential partners. We’re grateful that NNSA provided us this opportunity.”
Y‑12 manages a portfolio of 148 patented technologies that are available for government and commercial licensing, 120 of which have at least 5 years before expiration. Technology transfer benefits Y‑12’s core nuclear production mission by providing opportunities to accelerate technology maturity through private industrial investment. Some of Y‑12’s technologies featured at NNSA Innovation Day include:
- The Modulated Tool‑Path (MTP) Chip‑Breaking System — a cost‑saving solution for machining operations that creates continuous chips in a significantly safer environment
- Chemical Identification by Magneto‑Elastic Sensing (ChIMES) — a new, low‑cost sensor technology developed in collaboration with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, that uses target response materials (TRMs) as actuators in magneto‑elastic sensors
Collaborating with industry partners to mature and commercialize technology is essential to building an industrial base that supports the NSE’s labs, plants, and sites and maximizes value for the taxpayers.
If you are interested in exploring a potential collaboration with Y‑12, please email OTCP@y12nsc.doe.gov.
A representation of a glovebox within a digital twin allows operators to practice operations virtually before working with actual materials.
It’s no secret that Y-12 works with hazardous materials in order to deliver on the site’s missions for the nation. To protect employees, the site relies on engineered controls, such as gloveboxes, and administrative requirements, including limiting exposure to a hazard. Employees receive considerable training before they work with any materials. However, there’s really no substitute for actual experience … or is there?
The answer might lie in using digital twins to simulate real-life scenarios. A digital twin is a virtual 3D model or simulation that is a replica of a real-world product, system, or process making it a valuable training tool for high-hazard, high-consequence operations.
“You can train on scenarios that you wouldn’t want to do in the real world,” said Scott Couture, senior director of Production Research, Development and Integration. “For example, you can simulate a part breaking during microwave casting. That’s something you wouldn’t want to create in a real-world environment.”
Training first responders
At the Emergency Response Training Facility on the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training (ORETTC) campus, Director Ashley Stowe said they are now able to train first responders in a different way than before by using a virtual 3D space.
“ORETTC is using virtual reality as a more cost-effective training method for the Office of Radiological Security,” continued Stowe. “Rather than flying everyone here to train, we can now ship headsets out and bring them together in the virtual environment.”
Projecting future-state operations
Fabrication has been using a digital twin to design the Advanced Manufacturing Prototype Shop. The team had a conceptual layout in a drawing that changed many times. When they examined the space in VR, they realized the layout was not the most efficient. Now they are developing the layout in VR to give Design Engineering a place to start.
Couture said a digital twin can create an accurate and in-depth virtual representation of systems. “You can put physics behind it with process flow and capacity analysis—things that increase efficiency and reduce cost.”
The team’s experience illustrates the ease of taking a vision and making it some form of reality.
There are other advantages to using a digital twin, including demonstrating future capabilities. When new or greater work scopes are planned, a virtual tour of the future scope can be created.
Enhancing safety at UPF
Don Sproul, CNS Environment, Safety, and Health manager for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) Project, recognizes that while his applied-use case for a digital twin may not be as the technology was originally intended, it has been extremely effective during the construction phase of the project. The UPF leadership team has engaged with ORETTC to develop a solution to better communicate incidents and lessons learned, along with putting today’s workforce in tomorrow’s work environments.
Stowe said the technology has that “wow” factor. “When you show how it can be used, people really get excited. For UPF, they are able to walk into spaces that aren’t built yet,” he said. “The digital twin speeds up transition/commissioning time and our understanding and validation of the equipment. Employees can learn faster and test against abnormal conditions or in different configurations. These activities are mental studies now, but we can leverage the system to actually see it.”
The simulations have been well-received by the UPF Project workforce. “Many of our employees are gamers, so they are familiar with this type of presentation,” said Sproul.
Given the reception and effectiveness of these digital twins, Sproul can see the tool being used for a number of things. “I’d like to use the technology for the mobile equipment and personnel interface so employees can explore the setting and how the work feels without exposing themselves to hazards of moving construction equipment,” he said.
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Level 1, Virtual Twin: a physically accurate digital representation Level 2, Connected Twin: integrates real-time data to provide performance insight Level 3, Predictive Twin: leverages data to predict outcomes Level 4, Prescriptive Twin: leverages modeling and real-time simulation for future scenarios Level 5, Autonomous Twin: uses multiple real-time data feeds to learn and make decisions to correct issues automatically |
Future is virtual
Plant-Directed Research and Development is developing digital twins at various scales, and the investment is also helping to create tools for other projects. “Digital twins are tools. They are a simulation at some level to help you solve some problem, such as improving the capacity and reliability of a machine,” said Couture.
While a “true” digital twin is a simulator, Stowe noted that not all projects need the full simulator because different projects require different levels of connectivity and realism.
“There are applications across the maturation continuum (see sidebar),” Stowe said. This continuum allows digital twin technology to be beneficial across a variety of projects with differing needs.
“Digital twin technology really has something for everyone—engineers, data scientists, procedure writers,” said Stowe. “The technology applies to and can inform many, many jobs and facilitate decision making.”
Take 5 minutes to learn about Brent Wright., of Y-12 Production Operations. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Sometimes when people are asked how they are doing, their response is a sarcastic “I’m living the dream.” However, for Brent Wright, that response would be sincere.
“I have to pinch myself that I get to do what I do,” he said. In his current role, Brent oversees several major capability areas, including Assembly Disassembly Operations, Special Materials Operations, SNMO, Fabrication Operations, and Enriched Uranium Operations.
He has been at Y-12 for almost 23 years and came to the site shortly after graduating from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
“The commitment of the people in this valley I’ve seen over the past 23 years is the most impressive aspect of the job,” he said. “There are a lot of challenges, with an aging infrastructure and aging equipment. We constantly overcome these challenges. I think what drives us to do this is that desire to meet the mission. To be a part of that, there is no greater satisfaction. I’m blessed to go to a job that matters to our nation.”
For Wright, what stands out the most is not just employees’ commitment to the mission but also their commitment to Y-12 itself.
“There are people who have spent 40+ years at Y-12,” he said. “That just isn’t the norm outside of the valley. Once you are introduced to this industry, to the magnitude of the scope, the commitment is contagious. I get up in the mornings and go to a place that is helping to secure the nation’s and our allies’ freedom and security. I can’t see myself doing anything else at this point.”
Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult? If so, describe how you got here.
I couldn’t have envisioned being in this business, but becoming an engineer was natural for me. I always liked to solve problems and work in a team environment. I was raised by a chemical operator that taught me the value of working with all levels of the organization…most importantly, with the people who perform the tasks on a daily basis. They are the ones who understand the processes and the complex tasks performed here.
What is your favorite aspect about your work environment? How does that aspect make you know the mission is being met?
Our capacity to do all the things we do throughout the facility, given all of the constraints we have to work through. Even with all the strict standards and regulations, we are still able to meet mission numbers. That’s pretty impressive. I attribute the success to the team environment and the people that we have at Y-12.
What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity and why?
Enjoying baseball with my sons. I played baseball in school, and now, I get to watch them do it. I’m glad they’re playing because baseball is a great sport that teaches teamwork, respect for authority, and how to face success and failure. Baseball is a great teacher of life. I’ve had the opportunity to coach baseball for the last 20 years, and I really enjoy working with young adults to hopefully make an impact on not just their baseball future but their lives.
What tools do you use and reference to keep current on changes to your skillset?
I have a small group of mentors who have challenged me over the past 23 years. Each of them has a different perspective and different skills that push me to improve. Those different viewpoints make you feel uncomfortable. When I have the opportunity to mentor employees, I often tell them to stay uncomfortable––that is where growth happens. I tell them to surround yourself with people who will be honest with you and challenge your weaknesses and encourage your strengths.