Design and manufacturing of two units of UGXR Benches for JHR

As a part of the Finnish in kind contribution to the forthcoming Jules Horowitz materials testing reactor, Idom has been contracted by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to perform the final design and manufacturing of the underwater gamma scanning and x-ray radiography benches. For that purpose, mechanisms that were already proved in previous applications have been integrated in the design and components parts will be manufactured by means of most advanced machining processes. The biggest challenge have been the development of the design in which the inherent mechanical complexity of the require manipulator - due to its multi-functionality - and the additional complexity added by the tough environment and accessibility constraints are decoupled to the maximum extent. As a result, Idom has developed a design in which, (almost) all the mechanisms and component parts with relative movement, actuators, connections, data and power cables, etc., are located out of the reactor pool, above water level, and located inside the Fixed Frame. When this is not possible (basically in the case of the X-Ray camera), actuators are enclosed in and signals and power cables are transmitted along completely sealed chambers filled with inert gas, with no mechanical joints between the protected chamber and the surrounding pool water. Currently we are about to get the acceptance of the engineering phase, fulfilling the requirements requested by the client, and starting soon with the manufacturing of two units of the UGXR Benches.