Airport security puffer machines were built to be tested at 37 airports in 2005-2006. They functioned by firing blasts of air at individuals, allegedly dislodging any history of explosives and drugs, such as PETN, or pentaerythritol tetranitrate, utilized in the failed attack on Christmas Day. A traveler would walk into the archway, and the machine would blast the person from either side with air jets.
The TSA invested $29.6 million purchasing 207 of the machines through General Electric and Smiths Detection. Nevertheless, puffers had an issue — dust and dirt were constantly causing them to clog, making them cost thousands to keep maintained. The puffers never detected explosives in real use, they were vulnerable to false-positives would break down after an average of 551 hours of operation, which is only 38% of as many hours that the Government Accountability Office reported they would last for.
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I take it, our government never got a warranty on this equipment?
What a shock?
The Nogales Port of entry is littered with failed and discontinued equipment systems, bought and paid for by the US Tax payer.