Combining systems engineering with Technology and Manufacturing Readiness Levels to advance research and development

The Nuclear Explosion and Monitoring Program (NEMP) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) performs R& D to develop gas processing and nuclear detection systems that can monitor and detect atmospheric signatures that indicate a nuclear test has occurred. Since the program is multidisciplinary and diverse, a graded systematic approach for how technology is developed and transferred is needed. This approach would standardize the technology development process across the program for consistent product delivery and facilitate technology transfer to outside entities. This process would be made available to other research and development (R&D) projects within PNNL to standardize their technology development processes. Since the NEMP has a strong record of successful laboratory system development, there was not a need to design a new R&D and technology development process, rather to refine it with systems engineering principles. An analysis was performed that compared the existing NEMP technology development process to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs). A gap analysis was performed that identified the areas in which more rigor could help to transition R&D to the community and where the systems engineering principles could be applied. Based on the analysis, processes surrounding requirements and testing, manufacturing preparedness, and verification and validation were strengthened.