Present status of laser technology for maintenance and repair

A laser has superior spatial and timely controllability and has no repulsive force at its use, it is a tool suitable for remote operation. And, as a partial processing with low exotherm and deformation by its use becomes possible, it can have an advantage omissible for post processes such as heat treatment and so on. Therefore, on in-situ repair of present constructions, laser is thought to be an optimum tool. And, in nuclear energy plants, maintenance and management of their instruments are important, and then a number of technical developments activating its advantages have been carried out. Above all, repair engineering around a reactor has a number of places difficult to access them for its operators, so remote engineering using laser is desired for in special. Here was described on the present status of development and realization containing protect conservation and inspection repair technology using laser. (G.K.)