Patent ID: 7308069

Claim:
Method for controlling an exterior aspect of fuel rods ( 2 ) for nuclear reactors, each of the fuel rods ( 2 ) having an end cap with a truncated surface, comprising the following steps: providing optical means ( 40 ) comprising a plurality of primary cameras ( 42 ) and a plurality of secondary cameras ( 42 ′); inclining said secondary cameras with respect to said primary cameras in order to be able to scan the truncated surface ( 68 ) of the end cap ( 6 ) of each of the fuel rods ( 2 ) to be controlled; providing an electronic and computer assembly ( 30 ); linking the plurality of primary cameras ( 42 ) and the plurality of secondary cameras ( 42 ′) to the electronic and computer assembly ( 30 ); acquiring an image of the fuel rods ( 2 ) with at least one of the plurality of primary cameras ( 42 ) and the plurality of secondary cameras ( 42 ′); delivering the image of the fuel rods ( 2 ) to the electronic and computer assembly ( 30 ); processing the image using the electronic and computer assembly ( 30 ); automatically detecting geometric defects present on each rod ( 2 ) to be controlled, with the electronic and computer assembly ( 30 ); providing a roughness tester ( 50 ); automatically controlling the roughness tester ( 50 ); and automatically measuring a depth of each geometric defect detected during the detecting geometric defects steps, with the aid of the roughness tester ( 50 ).