Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has developed a specialised underwater navigation robot to perform non-destructive inspections of nuclear reactor vessels in high-radiation environments, according to information released by the Japan Society of Maintenology. (See videos below.)
The unit, known as the A-UT Machine, is designed to navigate reactor vessels underwater and carry out weld-line inspections using a manipulator arm.
“The unit navigates underwater and uses a manipulator to perform non-destructive inspections of the weld lines of a nuclear reactor vessel,” Mitsubishi developers said. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi develops underwater robot for inspecting Japanese nuclear plants