FeaturePrint: Irrefutable Nuclear Supply Chain Security

C56-40e-272710 No matter how they enter a system, counterfeit parts are a significant threat to the National Reactor Innovation Center and the broader Department of Energy. According to the Office of the Inspector General report Special Inquiry Into Counterfeit, Fraudulent, and Suspect Items in Operating Nuclear Power Plants, “Department of Energy staff identified more than 100 incidents involving counterfeit, fraudulent, and suspect items…in FY 2021 alone, including five incidents involving safety-significant components in its nuclear facilities.” Instead of pursuing the futile task of detecting fraudulence and misidentification, the company’s patented optical-AI solution detects the authenticity of items at any point in Department of Energy supply chains, not by trying to detect counterfeits but by identifying originals. The software solution requires only one easy step: simply take an initial registration photo. This could be done, for example, right after manufacturing. The software identifies thousands of unique identifiers that cannot be replicated by a seemingly identical object and uses them to mathematically characterize the specific object from which it was extracted. Now, the digital fingerprint is automatically created and can be authenticated at any point in the supply chain. The system has built-in tolerances for degradation issues like wear and tear, so the Department of Energy can authenticate, identify, track, and trace any physical item irrefutably, starting at the manufacturer, through the supply chain and installation, and all the way to service and maintenance. PHASE I & PHASE II: Objective 1: Identify items/parts most at-risk and with the highest consequence from counterfeits, fraudulence, and misidentification, and relevant workflows, physical touchpoints, and locations. Objective 2: Test different cameras to determine those most suitable for image capture. Objective 3: Consult with current utilities to identify appropriate settings and thresholds for the system to achieve the target of 99.85% accuracy. Final Deliverable: Demonstrate small-scale, successful adaptation and application of the company’s system to supply chains and construction projects within the context of nuclear energy. The estimated global trade in counterfeit and pirated goods is $991 billion, with additional social and economic costs estimated at $1.54-1.87 trillion. By using optical data to verify the authenticity of components and track the movement of goods, the company offers a more secure and reliable way to monitor supply chains. From a social perspective, its implementation can help ensure that critical components used in applications such as nuclear research are safe and reliable, which can help to promote public confidence in these technologies. Additionally, the improved supply chain efficiency can help reduce environmental impacts of production and transportation, as well as contribute to the development of a more sustainable supply chain.