Europe’s first remote handling tool is in ITER

ITER will deploy a fleet of remote handling tools during the assembly and maintenance of the world's largest fusion device. The machines will work inside and around the reactor to carry, install and replace heavy components with absolute precision. Their designs are anything but simple. They combine advanced robotic technology with mechanical strength, and each is custom-built for specific tasks and locations. Europe is responsible for four of the six major systems. Fusion for Energy (F4E) is developing and manufacturing them in collaboration with European industry and researchers.

This week, F4E and Ansaldo Nucleare delivered the first of Europe's remote handling machines to ITER. It's the Equatorial Port Plug (EPP) assembly tool, part of the Cask and Plug Remote Handling System entrusted to the Italian company at the end of 2023.

The system's mission is to transfer port plugs in and out of the tokamak. The plugs are large removable structures installed in the openings called ports. They provide access into the Vacuum Vessel for systems like diagnostics or heating while keeping the reactor sealed. There are 44 of them around the machine, at three levels: 18 upper ports, 17 equatorial and 9 lower.

The EPP tool will handle some of the largest plugs, weighing up to 48 tonnes. Despite the load, the operation requires millimetre-level accuracy. The machine is equipped with a set of gears, chains and rails to smoothly slide them into the port.

The subcontractor Officine LCM, an Italian SME, manufactured the EPP tool and hosted the final tests. At the workshop, the teams proudly witnessed how the design developed over years of work came into action. First, they operated the EPP tool alone, and later integrated it with the Cask Transport System built by Solving, a subcontractor of Ansaldo Nucleare. Using a full 48-tonne dummy load, they performed a full drill: manoeuvring, lifting and lowering the package onto mock-up port rails with perfect precision.

F4E Project Manager Darren Locke was present during the tests. For him, the key to this success lies in how the partners cooperated: "Together with ITER Organization we built a collaborative team, where resources were effectively utilised irrespective of home organisation. In addition to the close relationship with Ansaldo Nucleare, this approach led to efficient decision-making, essential to the success of the contract. This spirit we will take forward to future joint projects for ITER's assembly," he explained.

While the Cask Transport System stayed in Italy for more trials, the EPP tool was shipped to the ITER site. Its delivery carries special significance: "The arrival of our first European ITER Remote Handling equipment is an important milestone for F4E, our supply chain, and the ITER project. It proves, once more, the capacity of our industrial partners to deliver by meeting the challenges of high-quality manufacturing and tight schedules. It's also an illustration of Europe's capability to master know-how in systems which will be essential in the operation of future fusion reactors," said Marc Lachaise, Director of Fusion for Energy (F4E).

"This milestone is an example of the value created through close collaboration with F4E and our industrial partners, strengthening our capabilities in complex remote handling systems. The experience from this project is already feeding into the next phases, including the development of the Upper Port Plug tooling. We remain committed to supporting ITER with reliable and innovative solutions as the project moves into its assembly stage," said Daniela Gentile, CEO of Ansaldo Nucleare

The focus now shifts to the completion of the Upper Port Plug tool. Delivery of the full system is expected at the end of 2026, in time to support ITER's assembly schedule. In addition, the know-how gained through this project will be essential for the future fabrication of the nuclear-grade versions of these tools, which will be used in ITER' maintenance phases.