Technical Insight
UF6 Cylinder Technology
How the ANSI N14.1 cylinder families — 30B, 48Y, 48X and 48G — underpin the U.S. uranium fuel cycle, and what it takes to build them.
The UF6 cylinder family
Uranium hexafluoride (UF6) is stored and transported in standardized steel cylinders defined by the American National Standard ANSI N14.1. Westerman manufactures the full model family — 5B, 12B, 30B, 48G, 48X and 48Y — covering the small enriched-material vessels used for HALEU through the large production cylinders at the center of the enrichment fuel cycle.
A 40-year quality pedigree
Westerman has accumulated 40 years of NQA-1-related manufacturing experience and has fabricated more than 5,000 nuclear-grade, NQA-1 compliant pressure vessels since 2019 — including components for DOE projects supporting uranium enrichment.
Built for transport
UF6 cylinders must survive the strictest packaging and transportation regime in the industry. Every cylinder is built to ANSI N14.1 under NQA-1 and 10 CFR 71 Subpart H requirements, with full material traceability and in-house NDE — radiography, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant and ultrasonic testing.
Build your program on a proven cylinder line
Talk to our nuclear team about model availability, lead times and compliance documentation.
Contact Nuclear Team