Quality management at the manufacturing and construction stage surveillance and auditing of manufacturers

The actions are described taken by the nuclear construction office (BCCN) during the construction of the main primary systems of PWR power plants. In the field of surveillance work, the role of the BCCN in the first place is to check whether Framatome (the manufacturer of the main primary systems) has an adequate system for obtaining the required quality of the products manufactured, and to supply proof that this is the case, and also to ensure that the system is properly implemented. The principal findings are presented made by the BCCN during the manufacturing of equipment for 50 PWR power plants over 16 years. They are of two types: 1) those corresponding to situations undeniably prejudicial to the quality of a particular component, showing the part in question to be unfit for its use; 2) those corresponding to a proof of the quality of parts. Very few findings of the first type were made. The great majority of the BCCN findings related to product quality proof. (Z.S.)