Development of examination apparatus for miniaturized specimen tests

To research and develop the materials for fusion reactor, small(miniaturized) specimen will be irradiated in an accelerator that provides high energy neutrons. Therefore due to limitation on the available test volume for the irradiation, the examination techniques of miniaturized specimens are indispensable for evaluating the mechanical properties of materials. Also, the technical developments of miniaturized specimen test become important to evaluate the mechanical properties of specimens manufactured from small part of LWR structural materials and surveillance specimens. In the JMTR Hot Laboratory, a small punch testing apparatus has been developed and installed in a hot cell. A remote electrical discharge machining device to obtain miniaturized specimens, and a micro manipulator to handle specimens and to use for the examination of specimens before and after the test is now under development