METHOD OF RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING OF NUCLEAR REACTOR FUEL ASSEMBLY SPACER GRID Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC B23K11/10 G21C3/34 G21C21/00 

FIELD: technological processes.

SUBSTANCE: spacer grid is assembled and crimped during all welding process. Electrodes are moved into working position by robot; position adjustment is performed during movement. Then distance between edge cells of the grid in each direction is calculated, after that, an average distance between cells in each direction is determined, using the following formula: S_dir={S_prog·L_dir)/L_prog, where S_dir is average distance between welded grid cells, in millimeters; Sprog - distance between grid cells, set by robot programme, in millimeters; L_dir - distance between edge cells in the grid, in millimeters; L_prog - distance between edge cells of the grid, set by robot programme. Then coordinates of grid cells in the robot programme are adjusted. After that, electrodes are moved into working position, and robot drive is switched off. Welding is performed by electrode squeezing supply of welding impulse row by row in each direction of the grid in accordance with robot programme. Grid cells, located in the places of guide channels, are skipped.

EFFECT: invention decreases possibility of process-induced distortions, increases performance of the system, as well as robot lifetime.

4 dwg