Deep Hole Drilling for Nuclear Components
Nuclear power components are in a class of their own when it comes to quality requirements. Every part that goes into a nuclear power plant must meet ASME Section III or equivalent standards. The documentation, traceability, and inspection requirements are more demanding than any other industry I have worked with. I have drilled components for nuclear power plants including reactor coolant pump shafts, control rod drive mechanisms, steam generator components, and main coolant line fittings. The common thread across all of these is the material: almost everything is stainless steel or a nickel-based alloy. The heat exchanger tube sheets in nuclear steam generators follow similar principles to general heat exchanger tube sheet drilling but with tighter tolerances and stricter documentation. ...