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Procedures by which ORNL fabricated the first High Flux Isotope Reactor fuel assembly are described. Quality of starting materials, pressing of complex U3 08-aluminum-B4.C dispersion cores, rolling and forming of fuel plates, assembly and welding of fuel elements, inspections performed throughout the procedure, and quality of intermediate and final products are reported. An entire HFIR fuel loading comprises two elements, inner and outer annuli containing 171 and 369 fuel plates, respectively. The high neutron flux and heat production rate require nonlinear fuel loading variation across the plates, accurate shaping of plates, and fabrication to close tolerances. The cladding and structural alloy was 6061 aluminum.

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