Abstract: A welding system for automatically welding two workpieces together at a joint. The system includes a welding box having an electrode for welding the workpieces together; a camera assembly for viewing selected regions of the workpieces including a first edge and a second edge of the joint; and a controller connected to the camera assembly and the welding box for receiving the location of the first edge and the second edge of the joint and calculating the centerline of the joint and providing an output signal representative of the difference of the relative position of the centerline of the joint and the centerline of the fusing element. In the preferred embodiment, a 2-axis light source illuminates the surface of the workpieces to better locate the centerline of the joint.

Abstract: A nested sleeve grid restraint system and a method for making a nested sleeve grid restraint system are disclosed. The nested sleeve grid restraint system comprises an insert tube installed in and secured to the intermediate spacer grid and concentrically around a fuel assembly instrumentation tube, the insert tube having ends extending from the intermediate spacer grid, respectively, above and below the intermediate spacer grid; two spacer sleeves, each having flared ends; the spacer sleeves each being fitted concentrically around the fuel assembly instrumentation tube, respectively, above and below the intermediate spacer grid; the flared ends of the spacer sleeves fitting over the ends of the insert tube extending above and below the intermediate space grid whereby the insert tube nests in the spacer sleeves.

Abstract: A grid keying fixture for installing grid keys in a nuclear fuel assembly spacer grid having a matrix of cells, at least some of the cells including a soft stop in a first axis and a soft stop in a second axis. The grid keying fixture includes a frame assembly having a plurality of fixture pegs affixed to the frame assembly and each arranged and adapted to enter a respective cell of the grid. Each of the fixture pegs is operable to simultaneously deflect the first axis soft stop and the second axis soft stop of the respective cell without bearing on a hard stop in the respective cell opposite one of the first axis and second axis soft stops. In the preferred embodiment, alignment pegs are affixed to the frame assembly for aligning the fixture pegs with the respective cells.