Sandia National Laboratories

Sandia National Laboratories

3w

Speeding up a time-consuming method ⏱️ Sandia is setting up a new ultrasonic tool that uses AI to inspect ceramic components used in nuclear deterrence applications. It’s expected to help catch tiny defects earlier and speed up inspections. “Right now, an operator looks through a manual microscope for defects. They’re subtle, so they can be hard to find,” said process engineer Jesse Adamczyk, who is leading the project. “Operators will double-check to make sure the AI is highlighting real defects, and if there’s a defect AI misses, the operator will catch it. AI augmentation is going to be more effective than manual visual inspection and more effective than just letting the AI run loose.” Read more about the technology: ...Show more

Sandia National Laboratories

1mo

Big shot 💥 After nearly 40 years of service and 4,726 firings, known as “shots,” Sandia’s powerful X-ray generator has been updated for reliability and performance. The Saturn accelerator, roughly the size of two basketball courts, produces hard X-rays that test and qualify national security electronics, subsystems and materials against X-ray radiation. “Saturn works a lot like a dental X-ray, except it is billions of times more powerful and its X-ray pulse is about a million times faster,” Sandia physicist Ben Ulmen said. With redesigned gas switches, a new vacuum insulator stack and a reengineered X-ray source, the accelerator continues to support Sandia’s national security mission. Read more about Saturn:...Show more

Sandia National Laboratories

2mo

Advancing AI and computing capabilities 🖥️ In 2025, Sandia helped develop a federated machine-learning model to advance AI for national security. Teams also successfully deployed El Dorado, the fastest supercomputer in Labs’ history. Read more about Sandia’s biggest achievements in AI and computing in the newest issue of Labs Accomplishments:...Show more

Sandia National Laboratories

2mo

Learn quantum with Sandia ⚛️ High school students and teachers can discover quantum computing by building and testing circuits on an actual quantum computer at QCaMP 2026, which runs June 29 – July 24. Sandia’s quantum experts designed QCaMP to focus on the most important quantum topics that students can learn through hands-on activities in just four weeks. The program also trains teachers and provides them with resources to bring these concepts into their classrooms. The only prerequisites for QCaMP are basic algebra and a desire to learn. The camp is free and includes a stipend for students to support their summer learning experience. Register by April 3: ...Show more

Sandia National Laboratories

3mo

Building quantum capabilities 🚧 At the Economic Forum of Albuquerque, Labs Director Laura McGill shared her vision for Sandia developing quantum computing capabilities in less than 10 years. “We are not to the point where we have a full, scalable quantum computer,” McGill said. “But we can see that’s coming … This is an important capability, and I’ll also reinforce that the state of New Mexico has also invested tremendously in quantum.” McGill told the audience that quantum technologies can assist in Sandia’s national security mission. They could help create sensing devices that provide precision navigation and timing “in case we want to apply systems in GPS-denied environments, for example.” Read more in the Albuquerque Journal:...Show more