AWE processes a very diverse range of materials, each providing their own technical challenges. These range from conventional materials such as steels through to specialised materials such as adhesives, explosives formulations and fissile materials such as plutonium and uranium.
This diverse range of materials presents many interesting challenges for the production staff, engineers and scientists of AWE. Due to their unique properties, many materials need to be handled and processed in environments not normally found within conventional manufacturing industry.
For example, some fissile, radioactive or toxic materials are handled and processed within purpose designed containment enclosures, such as ‘gloveboxes’ or fume cabinets. Strict controls are placed on the amounts of fissile materials processed, the design of the tooling and support equipment and the handling techniques to ensure operator safety.
Materials such as explosives are produced in special facilities, where any potential hazards or contamination are rigorously designed out of the system and manufacturing processes. Some of the explosives processing operations such as machining are undertaken using remote techniques.
AWE also develops and manufactures a wide range of non-metallic components from rubber and plastic based materials. Some of these components demand tight tolerances from materials that are challenging to produce and do not naturally hold their dimensional stability, thus requiring the development of novel techniques for manufacturing, certification and storage.
Manufacturing at AWE is underpinned by extensive materials research and development activities.
This ensures that all materials undergo stringent testing and qualification processes, to assure their long-term safety and performance within the nuclear stockpile. |
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