Proximity and Timing Provide NMO Unique Collaboration Opportunity
Success often hinges on two crucial factors, proximity and timing. Being in the right place at the right time can open doors to game-changing strategic partnerships and opportunities.
During the summer of 2023, the Kansas City National Security Campus’ New Mexico Operations (KCNSC-NMO) team was given a unique opportunity to partner with Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) on what is now being called the CAMINO collaboration.
The latest joint effort between KCNSC-NMO and Sandia started off when NMO’s Director of Site Operations, Jeff Conner, was introduced to Lonnie Love, Ph.D., a Sandia Fellow. Love works with Sandia’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation (CAMINO) and wanted to learn more about NMO’s additive and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The chance meeting between Conner and Love ultimately resulted in the creation of a shared collaboration space where the design agency (DA) Sandia and the production agency (PA), KCNSC-NMO can innovate and develop new approaches to advance the mission.
Accelerating Innovation Through Strategic Collaboration
In a world where national security threats are rapidly evolving, the demand for innovative solutions and partnerships has never been more critical. To ensure the U.S. nuclear deterrent remains strong and credible, the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) is working to accelerate development and deployment processes.
KCNSC is committed to finding new ways to increase mission efficiency and speed, all while maintaining safety and quality. To support the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) evolving needs, the KCNSC has used an integrated approach to creating research and development projects for classified development scope.
To meet this need, teams from KCNSC, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories are working on a series of workforce projects and platforms for rapid iteration solutions.
The CAMINO collaboration falls within this scope. In July 2024, Robin Stubenhofer, KCNSC’s Vice President of Engineering and Doug Kothe, Sandia’s Associate Labs Director, signed the Memorandum of Understanding between KCNSC and Sandia.
“I believe the CAMINO partnership between KCNSC and Sandia will transform the way we accelerate product development and deployment for our nation,” said Love. He added, “CAMINO provides a platform to ensure all stakeholders between the design and production agencies have a seat at the table regarding strategic vision and direction.”
Driving Innovation with Purpose
KCNSC’s Chief Technology Officer John Jungk introduced the company’s latest work in early development and prototyping at a KCNSC Town Hall. He explained that the CAMINO partnership is an NNSA mission enterprise accelerator, focusing on speed, workforce and facilities development.
Co-locate. Collaborate. Accelerate.
One of CAMINO’s shared early development spaces is located on NMO’s campus and uses the site’s machining and electronic fabrication equipment.
In December 2024, NMO and Sandia held a joint ribbon-cutting celebration for the Rapid Prototyping Maker Space (RPMS), a pioneering pilot for CAMINO. Conner said, “Part of NMO’s magic is that we’re co-located within 100 miles of two major labs. We have a history of mission partnerships with Sandia, and the CAMINO partnership continues to elevate our shared vision to use collaboration to increase mission efficiency and speed.”
Conner added, “I firmly believe that the CAMINO collaboration is transforming the ways we accelerate product development and deployment to tackle our nation’s increasingly complex national security challenges.”
