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ACCESSION #: 9908310292

INOVISION

Radiation Measurements
6015 Cochran Road
Cleveland OH 44139
Phone: 440-218-9300
FAX: 440-349-2307
www.inovision.com

Page 1 of 2

Initial Notification of Product Failure- to- Comply

August 27, 1999

To: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Fax (301) 816-5151

From: Janice K. Drownlee, Director of Regulatory/Quality Affairs

In accordance with the requirements for basic components regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as specified in 10CFR 21.21, I am providing this notification. In June, 1999, the reliability engineer with the "systems group" department of our company, sent me a memo that suggested we might have accepted an unacceptable part for the 30-4 connector, which is a regulated component. He had connected in AMP BNC connector to a cable, to determine its equivalency to the other qualified part from Amphenol p/n 31-2. He found that when the wires were combed out as directed on the instructions that came with the AMP connector, it did not appear to perform correctly with respect to cable retention, and asked if someone in QA could verify his preliminary testing.

Subsequently, our Quality Manager examined the connector and obtained instruction from the manufacturer that said the wires should be left braided, not combed out and that if you left it braided, a stronger grip was achieved. The reliability engineer tried the braided connection, and did find that the retention was improved. However, in investigating the matter further with the manufacturer, it was found that the manufacturer did have conflicting instructions, but said the drawing specifying a braided connection should be considered the official one since it was a controlled document. It was also found that the part from AMP was not the originally qualified part number-221552-1. AMP had obsolete that part in 1992 and substituted 221265-0 in its place. The new part however, did not carry a military specification for shock (MIL-Std. 202) and was not military type U-88 like the previous one-conditions which provided assurance that it met certain criteria needed for Seismic Class 1 rating. This information was presented at the company's Quality Review Meeting on August 12, 1999. A technical evaluation was conducted and reported in an abstract for the 30-4 BNC Connector by the reliability engineer on August 26, 1999.

The connectors for part 30-4 that were in stock were inspected and it was found that all of them were this incorrect AMP part number. The connectors were subsequently put on hold by the Quality Manager, and correctors have been ordered from Amphenol.

One hundred pieces of the incorrect part (AMP 1-221265) were received at Victoreen (now a part of Inovision) in January 1997. A search has been conducted to identify those parts, assemblies and kits which list part 30-4 as part of their bill of material. From those, a review will be done to identify those that have been produced since the receipt of the incorrect part and therefore have the potential for being incorrect. The customers who have received the identified products will be sent a notification within 30 days. If acceptable replacement parts can be obtained within that time frame they will be sent with the notification.

A notification was sent to the Plant Manager/Senior Executive and to the Chief Operating Office of Inovision on August 26, 1999. The Plant Manager has authorized me to submit this report by facsimile to the NRC Operations Center. A written report containing the information specified at 10 CFR 21.21(d)(4) will be submitted to the NRC within 30 days.

Should you need further information regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call me direct at (440) 542-3648.

08/28/1999

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations
Center Event Report

Page 1

PART 21 NOTIFICATION INVOLVING UNACCEPTABLE RETENTION CAPABILITY FOR BNC CONNECTORS

"In accordance with the requirements for basic components regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as specified in 10 CFR 21.21, I am providing this notification. In June 1999, the reliability engineer with the 'systems group' department of our company sent me a memo that suggested we might have accepted an unacceptable part for the 30-4 connector, which is a regulated component. He had connected an AMP BNC connector to a cable to determine its equivalency to the other qualified part from Amphenol p/n 31-2. He found that when the wires were combed out as directed on the instructions that came with the AMP connector, it did not appear to perform correctly with respect to cable retention, and [he] asked if someone in QA could verify his preliminary testing.

"Subsequently, our Quality Manager examined the connector and obtained instructions from the manufacturer that said the wires should be left braided, not combed out, and that if you left it braided, a stronger grip was achieved. The reliability engineer tried the braided connection and did find that the retention was improved. However, in investigating the matter further with the manufacturer, it was found that the manufacturer did have conflicting instructions but said the drawing specifying a braided connection should be considered the official one since it was a controlled document. It was also found that the part from AMP was not the originally qualified part number 221552-1. AMP had obsolete that part in 1992 and substituted the 221265-0 in its place. The new part, however, did not carry a military specification for shock (MIL-Std. 202) and was not military type U-88 like the previous one - conditions which provided assurance that it met certain criteria needed for Seismic Class 1 rating. This information was presented at the company's Quality Review Meeting on August 12, 1999. A technical evaluation was conducted and reported in an abstract for the 30-4 BNC Connector by the reliability engineer on August 26, 1999.

"The connectors for part 30-4 that were in stock were inspected, and it was found that all of them were this incorrect AMP part number. The connectors were subsequently put on hold by the Quality Manager, and correct connectors have been ordered from Amphenol.

"One hundred pieces of the incorrect part (AMP 1-221265) were received at Victoreen (now a part of Inovision) in January 1997. A search has been conducted to identify those parts, assemblies, and kits which list part 30-4 as part of their bill of material. From those, a review will be done toidentify those that have been produced since the receipt of the incorrect part and, therefore, have the potential for being incorrect. The customers who have received the identified products will be sent a notification within 30 days. If acceptable replacement parts can be obtained with that time frame, they will be sent with the notification.

"A notification was sent to the Plant Manager/Senior Executive and to the Chief Operating Officer of Inovision on August 26, 1999. The Plant Manager has authorized me to submit this report by facsimile to the NRC Operations Center. A written report containing the information specified at 10 CFR21.21(d)(4) will be submitted to the NRC within 30 days."

(Call the NRC operations officer for contact telephone numbers.)