Control system fabrication of fuel elements and assepblies for the FFTF reactor

The procedure and operation-by-operation methods of the quality control of structural and fuel materials, mixed fuel pellets of UO2-PuO2, fuel element cans made of the AISI-316 steel and ready fuel elements are described as well as spacer wires (steel AISI-316), cases of fuel assemblies (FA) and completed FAs. The methods are used in manifacturing fuel elements and FAs for the FFTF reactor. The RDT standards that regulate the structure and functioning of the system of fuel element and FA production management are outlined. Destructive analytical methods characterized by sufficient accuracy but low productivity are noted to represent a considerable share of operations. Some specialized means of nondestructive testing are developed, such as the gauge to measure the total plutonium content in a fuel element, neutron radiography deVice and a laser gauge to measure the FA dimensions. The experience gained served as a basis for designing the equipment and quality control means for the automatized remote control production of fuel elements in HEDL that is due to begin in the late 1986