Abstract: This is an improved method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip. The method is of the type wherein Zircaloy-4 material is vacuum melted, forged, hot reduced, beta-annealed, quenched, hot rolled, subjected to a post-hot-roll anneal and then reduced by at least two cold rolling steps, including a final cold rolling to final size, with intermediate annealing between the cold rolling steps and with a final anneal after the last cold rolling step. The improvement comprises: (a) utilizing a maximum processing temperature of 620.degree. C. between the quenching and the final cold rolling to final size; (b) utilizing a maximum intermediate annealing temperature of 520.degree. C.; and (c) utilizing hot rolling, post-hot-roll annealing, intermediate annealing and final annealing time-temperature combinations to give an A parameter of between 4.times.10.sup.-19 and 7.times.10.sup.

Abstract: This is an improved method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip. The method is of the type wherein Zircaloy-4 material is vacuum melted, forged, hot reduced, beta-annealed, quenched, hot rolled, subjected to a post-hot-roll anneal and then reduced by at least two cold rolling steps, including a final cold rolling to final size, with intermediate annealing between the cold rolling steps and with a final anneal after the last cold rolling step. The improvement comprises: (a) utilizing a maximum processing temperature of 620.degree. C. between the quenching and the final cold rolling to final size; (b) utilizing a maximum intermediate annealing temperature of 520.degree. C.; and (c) utilizing hot rolling, post-hot-roll annealing, intermediate annealing and final annealing time-temperature combinations to give an A parameter of between 4.times.10.sup.-19 and 7.times.10.sup.