An Overview of the DYMCAS Program at Y-12

At the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant,* work has started on developing and installing an automated nuclear material control and accountability system. The system, called Dynamic Special Nuclear Material Control and Accountability System (DYMCAS), will have significantly improved capabilities for data collection and data analysis. When finished, it will provide a real-time, perpetual book inventory of identified items, an estimated inventory for non-identified material in process, and will automatically call attention to any situation that warrants investigation. In addition to improving the ability of the Plant to detect a diversion, it will also greatly improve the speed with which the diversion would be detected, should such occur. Primarily intended to operate on the material balance area (MBA) level, it can also, if desired, operate on the minibalance level. In either case, DYMCAS will be a significant deterrent for any unauthorized use of special nuclear material.