A study to ultrasonically verify the mechanical properties of U-6Nb parts

A part of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Minimization Program, an effort is under way at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant to reduce the amounts of scrap U-6Nb associated with the manufacture and quality testing of U-6Nb-based components. As part of this program, an ultrasonic (nondestructive) test is being developed to verify whether or not the U-6Nb (binary) parts (produced within the Y-12 Plant) have the appropriate mechanical properties. The current or traditional method for verifying the mechanical properties of these parts, involves the creation and destruction of mechanical test specimens, which along with the associated scrap, feed directly into the Y-12 Plant's waste stream. By using a nondestructive (ultrasonic) measurement for mechanical property verification, the amount of waste associated with mechanical property testing can be significantly reduced. This report discusses a proposed experiment designed to measure the effectiveness of an ultrasonic (nondestructive) measurement versus traditional mechanical testing methods at verifying the mechanical integrity of U-6N6 components. The experiment is designed to accommodate both the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) methods of processing U-6Nb components. The discussion of a proposed design for a transportable ultrasonic material characterization system for potential in-process measurements ismore » also included.« less