Job Description:

• 1) Assembles uranium fuel elements for subsequent extrusion in atomic fuel plant: Reads production schedule to ascertain number and size of uranium fuel elements to be assembled and percentage of uranium to be used in each fuel element.

• 2) Places components, such as copper and zirconium sleeves, uranium billets, and end plates in basket, and immerses filled basket in chemical and rinsing solutions to clean grease, dirt, scale, and other foreign matter from components, using crane.

• 3) Transfers baskets of components to drier, using crane, and starts blower unit that circulates air to remove moisture from components.

• 4) Conveys components to assembly table, using crane.

• 5) Positions components together in specified relationship to form fuel element subassembly.

• 6) Secures subassembly on rotating base of welding equipment, and welds sections to seal assembly, using argon-gas welding equipment.

• 7) Connects sealed fuel element valve to pump and activates pump to create vacuum in fuel element to prevent oxidation of element during extrusion process.

• 8) Connects fuel element to helium leak detector and observes dial readings to detect deviations from standards for each element.

• 9) Rewelds and retests defective fuel elements.