Fuel injector and method for forming spray-discharge openings

A fuel injector for a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• an excitable actuator for activating a valve closing element, which forms a sealing seat together with a valve face implemented on a valve seat element;
• and
• a plurality of spray-discharge openings, which are implemented downstream from the valve face and integrally formed in the valve seat element, wherein:
• each spray-discharge opening includes at least one upstream first spray-discharge opening section and one downstream second spray-discharge opening section having a different opening width;
• the at least one upstream first spray-discharge opening section has a smaller opening width than the downstream second spray-discharge opening section;
• a wall area of the second downstream spray-discharge opening section is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the valve seat element;
• the upstream first spray-discharge opening section is a constant diameter;
• and
• the downstream second spray-discharge opening section is a variable diameter,
• wherein the opening width of the at least one upstream first spray-discharge opening section is less than half of the width of at least a portion of the downstream second spray-discharge opening section.