Lessons Learned From Testing And Evaluation Of Aftermarket Components For Use In Border Monitoring Radiation Detection Equipment

Sustaining border monitoring radiation detection equipment often becomes more difficult as systems and components approach their end-of-life. Given the specialized nature of this equipment, many of these components are exclusively sourced from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). However, this is not always cost-effective or practical because some vendors no longer support legacy equipment, or political and programmatic influences may steer users toward locally sourced options. One solution is to source replacement parts from aftermarket suppliers. Generally, non-OEM parts should be tested to verify performance and compatibility with existing systems before deployment. Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers recently tested radiation detection components from a non-OEM supplier. Observations from the development and execution of this testing and generalizations for future evaluations of non-OEM equipment will be discussed.