JRC Karlsruhe plans to purchase a new command system for the robot SAMM together with a completely new safety interface for the control of this machine.

The hot cells in JRC Karlsruhe enables advanced PIE (post irradiation examination) on nuclear material from other nuclear research and industrial facilities for research and development, mainly on safety and security issues. The transfer of this nuclear material to or from the JRC Karlsruhe is mainly operated through one dedicated hot cell equipped with a heavy robot Telemanipulator (SAMM). This 6-axis robot with its portal is a key instrument to safely run the heavy nuclear material transfer through the JRC Karlsruhe hot cells. After 15 years of service the SAMM robot control system is out of date. The interfaces and command system show recurrent defect which has a major impact on the nuclear material transport operation. Interface and command system should be repaired urgently and retrofitted with state of the art available systems.

See Internet address provided in Section I.3.