Development of a micro-robot manipulator for the mechanical tests for fusion reactor materials research

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For the requirements from the mechanical testing on highly radioactive specimens, a robot-based tensile test system has been developed. This system realized the reduction of radiation hazards from specimens and the uniform precision of testing results independent of an experimenters' skill. The present robot system is designed to accommodate a miniaturized tensile specimen whose gage section is 5.5 mm x 1.2 mm, total length and width are 12.5 mm and 2.3 mm, respectively, and thickness is around 0.2 mm. The system is composed of a manipulating robot, a vibrational type specimen feeder, a rotating type specimen tray, a specimen observation system and a simulated test fixture and a micro-computer for controlling the system. This system performs specimen arrangement in the specimen tray, speciment transportation and loading to the test fixture and testing, and removal of the broken specimen from the fixture. All of these procedures are performed quickly, safely and with uniform testing pre … More cision by computer control from a remote place by an unskilled experimenter.The present robot system is a prototype testing system to confirm the feasibility of an application of the robot operation to the tensile testing system. It was demonstrated that miniaturized tensile testing can be made safely and quickly by a robot system controlled even by an unskilled operator at a remote place. The acquisition of the uniform precision can also be expected.A change in the experimental setup will allow testing at low or elevated temperatures with this robot system By using shielding panel for the radiation from specimens, this testing system can be operated outside of a hot cell. This is convenient for the recovery procedures for the failure of the system and for its maintenance. The improvements of the system to be done are addition of a recovery system for failures and to protect the electronic devices and optical systems from the radiation of specimens. Eventually, this system will be coupled to a real miniature tensile test machine for testing radioactive specimens. Less