Researcher develops autonomous hot umbrella tool

Scientific progress is anything but automatic. The path to new discoveries is not a straight line. However, while the road to nuclear power breakthroughs can be complicated, automated solutions can improve the efficiency of the research process and achieve innovation a little earlier. .

For example, Kamrynn Schiller, a nuclear research facility engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory, designed a robotic system to assist with post-irradiation testing at INL’s Irradiated Material Properties Laboratory (IMCL).

IMCL is home to an impressive range of highly sophisticated analytical instruments, with capabilities ranging from transmission electron microscopy to atomic probe tomography. The researchers use its ability to examine irradiated materials — such as samples of nuclear fuel or its protective coating — at the microstructural level to find out why. they respond to irradiation in specific ways. The data generated from this work is critical to ongoing efforts to develop advanced nuclear fuels and reactor materials.

The Robot arm automatically locate templates in the hot cell according to both the template attribute and the type of test being performed. This tool is developed on an existing platform called UR3e. The arm can lift up to 3 kg and has been developed to handle samples inside glovebox containers to measure thermophysical properties. Up to this point, most of the work on the glovebox and hot umbrella has been done with the operator — manually controlled mechanical claws can take months of training and are a bit cumbersome to use. use.

“First we have to determine if robot Schiller said it would be able to do the job we had in mind, so we tested it with bits of straw as well as salt to see if it could handle granular samples. “, said Schiller. We started with basic movements and expanded from there, with more specialized tools and more precise programming to take samples. “The robot can be operated automatically or be controlled manually by a researcher,” she added.

Schiller is a new employee who joined INL in late 2020. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tarleton State University and is pursuing a master’s degree in engineering. Mechanical Engineer at Texas Tech University.

“I thought the job posting sounded interesting and wanted to take on an interesting challenge outside of my home,” says Schiller. “I have no prior experience with nuclear science but really like the idea of ​​supporting this kind of research. “

To configure the robot, Schiller used a series of kinematic equations to determine how it moved, whether straight line, along the path of least resistance or through forced motion. She programmed a series of reference points to allow the robot to perform specific functions, further customizing the system to fit a variety of patterns.

“One of the challenges developing this tool was the uncertainty about what exactly the robot would handle, so I tried to take into account a variety of potential patterns when building the program,” says Schiller. ,” Schiller said. “There’s definitely a learning curve to figuring out how to program the tool as I’ve never worked with this type of robot before, but I was eventually able to develop a flexible, dynamic tool that’s just right. for many applications.”

This tool is playing a key role in research at IMCL and helps lay the groundwork for the automated capabilities that will underpin the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL), which is under development and planned. research activities begin in 2025. SPL will significantly expand INL’s post-irradiation inspection capacity, serving as a dedicated facility for non-fuel materials such as cladding and components structure part. When completed, it will rely heavily on robotic systems like the one Schiller has developed.

“The lessons learned from the design of the IMCL robot are integral to the continued development of robots for SPL,” says Schiller. “It has been an exciting time working at INL and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such important research.”