news from von
gahlen

TerraPower Isotopes and Orchestra collaborate hands-on with full-scale models in Zevenaar. Von Gahlen Hosts Intensive Mockup Testing to Validate Next-Generation Hot Cell Design.

At Von Gahlen’s headquarters in Zevenaar, the design of a next-generation hot cell installation for a major nuclear isotope manufacturing facility in the United States recently entered a crucial validation phase. Over two intensive weeks, TerraPower Isotopes®, engineering consultant Orchestra Life Sciences, and the Von Gahlen project team worked side by side to evaluate the future production environment before manufacturing begins.

The objective was clear: verify that every aspect of the hot cell design supports daily operations, maintenance activities, safety requirements, and long-term production goals. This extensive mockup testing phase helps identify improvements while the design is still flexible.

The visiting teams represented multiple disciplines. The consultant team from Orchestra Life Sciences was responsible for facility integration, system layout, and stakeholder coordination, while the team of TerraPower Isotopes brought together specialists from operations, engineering, quality assurance, and nuclear containment. Von Gahlen’s own engineering and project management teams facilitated the sessions and documented the findings.

Full-scale validation in a realistic environment

To support the testing campaign, Von Gahlen constructed two full-scale wooden mockups, built to the exact dimensions of the final production hot cells. These mockups allowed operators and engineers to physically interact with the future work environment using manipulators and production equipment.

Over eight structured testing days, the teams carried out a comprehensive validation protocol that included:

• Manipulator dexterity testing across the full three-dimensional working envelope.
• Empty-box testing to verify dimensions, transfer routes, sensor locations, and maintenance accessibility.
• Full-box testing with production equipment and consumables installed.
• Complete workflow simulations covering the intended production process throughout the hot cell line.

Each activity was performed by a single executor and independently verified by a second team member, who documented observations and results in real time. This approach ensured consistency, traceability, and objective decision-making throughout the validation process.

Learning from real-world production experience

For the customer, one of the most valuable aspects of the mockup testing was the opportunity to evaluate the interaction between the hot cells and their existing production systems.

Jordan Anderson, P.E., Engineering Manager at TerraPower Isotopes; "We brought all of our production systems with us. This allowed us to verify how everything interfaces with the hot cells and identify any critical interferences before manufacturing starts. Some improvements will be made on our side, while others can still be incorporated into the final design."

The customer team emphasized that the exercise was not only about identifying issues but also about defining operational boundaries.

Jordan Anderson: "This process helps us understand what is within the capability of the system and what is not. It sets realistic expectations and gives everyone involved a much better understanding of how the hot cells will function in practice."

The multidisciplinary composition of the customer team played an important role in achieving that objective. Jordan Anderson explains: "We deliberately brought together experts from operations, engineering, quality, and containment. Every discipline views the project from a different perspective. The mockup gives us a common platform to discuss ideas and optimize the design together."

Designing for the next generation of targeted alpha therapies for certain cancers

The project supports the production of critical isotopes, which are increasingly used in next-generation targeted alpha therapies for certain cancers. With years of operational experience in isotope production, the customer team entered the mockup phase with a substantial body of practical knowledge.

"We already have a strong understanding of what it takes to operate these systems successfully and have gathered valuable operational insights over the years. By bringing that experience together with Von Gahlen’s expertise in hot cell design and engineering, we can ensure the final solution is both practical for daily use and built for the future", according to Jordan Anderson.

The value of physical testing

One of the key advantages of the mockup approach is that operators can physically experience the future workspace long before the final installation is delivered.

"The value of the mockup cannot be overstated. It allows us to test workflows in a realistic environment and evaluate how operators will interact with the equipment. It is far better to identify improvements now than to discover them on day one of production."

By validating workflows at full scale, the project team can optimize efficiency, ergonomics, and safety before manufacturing begins.

Fine-tuning details rather than making major changes

Interestingly, the testing campaign did not reveal any fundamental design flaws. Instead, most observations focused on subtle refinements.

"There have not been any major changes to the hot cells themselves," Anderson noted. "Most findings involve smaller, nuanced improvements. In many cases, the exercise has actually helped us improve our understanding of how our own production equipment will integrate into the overall process."

The team described the final production environment as a highly optimized industrial process, in which every component and workflow must work together seamlessly.

Confidence heading into Design Qualification

As the project progresses toward the Design Qualification (DQ) milestone, the mockup validation process builds confidence among all stakeholders.

Anderson’s recommendation to the Von Gahlen team was straightforward: "Keep doing what you're doing. This validation phase confirms that we are moving in the right direction. We are all working toward the same goal: delivering a fantastic product that will support safe, reliable, and efficient isotope production for many years to come."

A shared commitment to quality

By integrating this additional mockup validation phase into its V-model development process, Von Gahlen strengthens quality assurance before the final design freeze. The results will finalize universal design elements across the hot cell platform and lock the production configuration before manufacturing.

For both TPI and Von Gahlen, the exercise demonstrates the value of collaboration at an early stage: "Our experience at Von Gahlen has been excellent," Anderson concluded. "The support throughout the visit has been outstanding. The team was well prepared and stayed focused throughout the process. We are all driving in the same direction and working together to deliver the best possible solution."

The successful completion of the mockup process marks another important milestone in developing a hot cell installation designed to support the future of nuclear medicine.