ITER fusion project repairs most affected 485-ton vacuum vessel sector

Sector #8, a critical 440-ton vacuum vessel component of the ITER fusion reactor, has successfully completed a complex 20-month repair process after initial dimensional non-conformities halted its sub-assembly in December 2023. This sector was the most affected among the first three vacuum vessel sectors, which exhibited significant deviations from planned assembly sequences due to dimensional issues. The repair involved innovative procedures and tooling, including pivoting the heavy component from vertical to horizontal positions and transferring it to the Cryostat Workshop for detailed restoration work on its bevel joint geometry. The repair process was complicated by the need to simultaneously address three vacuum vessel sectors, while the Assembly Hall could only support two operations at once. Sector #8’s repair was conducted separately in the Cryostat Workshop, where workers accessed one side at a time, requiring the component to be rotated multiple times using specialized cranes and upending tools. After completing repairs on both sides, the sector was returned to sub-assembly tooling and is now being prepared for installation