Performance of Indigenous Resistance Welding Equipment for PHWR Fuel Fabrication in NFC

Abstract

Indigenisation of critical equipment for manufacturing of PHWR fuel and automation in the production line have been the main thrust in NFC in recent years. As part of this endeavour, resistance welding equipment for end plug welding of Zircaloy-4 clad Uranium Oxide he1 pin and end plates of 19-element fuel bundles have been developed .The paper discusses the equipment design features, critical operating parameters and performance of these indigenous welding machines.