Sandia has a longstanding history and reputation for its capabilities in systems engineering—the integration of components and subsystems into large, complex systems. Sandia takes a multidisciplinary approach to systems engineering. We form teams whose members include scientists who invent technologies, scientists and engineers that develop various components and subsystems, and technicians who assemble the final product.

The entire development cycle is tied closely to modeling and simulation. Early in the development cycle, thermal, kinetic, and mechanical models are developed. As concepts are generated, specific model validation tests are designed and performed. As the technology and subsystems mature, the models are used to lead the design effort and predict system performance.

The result is an engineered system based on fundamental science. This systems engineering approach results not only in a functioning system, but a fundamental understanding of why it works the way it does and the relative importance of the key design variables.