b'Because of the number of FAST tests, manually impacting each rodlet will be a long process and the small size of the rodlets and fuel slug may also decrease the success rate seen during bonding. To determine a more efficient bonding path two separate methods were investigated 1) lateral vibration of the loaded furnace assembly and 2) vertical vibration of the individual rodlets while in the furnace. Lateral vibration was accomplished by setting the furnace, loaded with the rodlets, on a vibration table and intermittently vibrating throughout the hour long bonding process. Vertical vibration of the individual rodlets was done through vibrating each rodlet with a modified vibro-peen tool. After testing both methods much better results were seen by vertically impacting the rodlet intermittently throughout the bonding process. Figure 4 shows surrogate FAST rodlets after bonding. With these results it can be confidently concluded that the FASTFigure 4. Completed FAST mockup rodlets.rodlets can be fabricated in an efficient manner allowing the total number of irradiation samples to be irradiated to increase substantially.2019|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS 175'