Mfr. of fuel assembly lattice members incorporating deflector vanes.

摘要

A method of making a lattice member for a fuel assembly comprises (a) Carrying several interior and exterior strap members (420) along a moving conveyor. (b) Aligning each interior and exterior member with a deflector vane piercing die (660) by controllably moving the conveyor. (c) Actuating the piercing die (660) so as form a deflector vane on each strap member. (d) Advancing each strip member into alignment with a deflector vane drawing die (e) Actuating the drawing die to draw the deflector vane into a predetermined curvature. (f) Advancing a pair of exterior strap members into alignment with a trihedral drawing die by controllably moving the conveyor. (g) Actuating the trihedral drawing die to draw each exterior strap member so that the pair of exterior members obtains a trihedral cross section. Mfr of a fuel assembly lattice member in a progressive die machine and a lattice member made as above opt. including spring members formed by a drawing die are also claimed.