Speaker
Description
Quality Assurance (and the derived quality controls) define the Nuclear Quality Approach in ITER. The higher the impact of manufacturing and assembly errors, then the more rigorous the QA regime, leading eventually to Safety Specific controls such as the appointment of an Authorised Notified Body ANB, by the Safety Regulator. Requirements come from regulatory and safety surveillance, quality supervision, purchase arrangements and codes & standards.
The integrated Quality Approach to Superconducting Magnets covers a very wide range of manufacturing, assembly and operational items, weighted by impact. Typical impacted operational items are Reliability, Field Quality and Error Fields, Magnetic Forces and Stresses, Degradation and Training, Cryogenic Stability, Quench and Protection, Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques.
Methods and techniques for implementing quality assurance in ITER Superconducting Magnets started with Design Control, such as reviews of requirements and design verification. Then they extended to manufacturing quality control in procurement including control verification and methods of acceptance tests. As a staged project, currently ITER is now facing the Installation Process Control including component identification and tracing, tool proofing, qualification of installation, inspection and test personnel, qualification of installation procedures. Next will be the control of commissioning activities and verification functions until the hand over of Superconducting Magnets for operation.
In order to be compliant with the defined requirements and/or technical requirements, ITER developed a manufacturing database to monitor the progress of activities and control the quality during procurement control. ITER standardises an approach to non-conformances based on an on-line database which is used now by almost all suppliers.
