Testing, Training, and Signature Devices

Y-12 manufactures specialized uranium testing, training, and signature devices to support the nuclear detection community.

As part of our national security mission, and in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we are producing unique test objects for passive gamma ray signature analysis.

Y-12 is fabricating new Highly Enriched Uranium Equivalent Radiological Signature Training Devices, tools that use an innovative method to replicate a much larger mass of uranium. These objects contain small amounts of U-235 embedded in an aluminum alloy. When seen by a detector, however, the gamma ray signature is nearly equivalent to a much larger amount of U-235, due to the alloying effect that minimizes the uranium self-shielding.