Protection, transfer, and maintenance of the MA23 bilateral servomanipulator

After a successful plasma torch cutting test, use of the MA23 in a large cell for maintenance in the new reprocessing plant is anticipated. A protective self-ventilated caisson with a boot is used. The arm is transferred into a decontamination-shielded box, then into a repair glove box. The caisson is repaired in a similar parallel line that has two connecting repair boxes. The recent two-operator glove-box recabling test showed the feasibility of this concept. Total labor was twice that of factory cabling labor. Arm improvement and tooling are being designed. A full, double-maintenance line mockup will be tested in mid-1979