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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Incorporation of safety interlocks in commercial robotics for handling of nuclear materials

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5137866

Current robotic systems have been developed primarily for the automotive and electronic industry. The adaptation of these commercial robotic systems to applications in the manufacturing of nuclear fuel requires the addition of safety interlocks as to the handling and accountability of nuclear materials. Also, additional safety interlocks are required when the robots are operated in containment enclosures that are environmentally sealed. Interlocks have been incorporated into a commercial robot. The robotic system has been installed in the containment enclosure as part of the pellet storage subsystem into the Secure Automated Fabrication (SAF) facility currently being built by Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The system has been installed in the Fuel Cycle Plant and is scheduled for initial operational testing in 1986.

Research Organization:
Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76FF02170
OSTI ID:
5137866
Report Number(s):
HEDL-SA-3396-FP; CONF-8511129-4; ON: DE87000251
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English