[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The ORNL deactivation and demolition team at Building 3029 used a questioning attitude and innovative collaboration to repair two manipulator arms after a device on the remotely operated equipment dislodged. The repair prevented schedule impacts that could have lasted up to six months and avoided over $400,000 in costs.
Building 3029 is equipped with manipulator arms that allow workers to handle materials inside its hot cells, which are heavily shielded, remote‑accessed areas used to safely handle and process radioactive materials. When crews began removing items from the hot cell in March 2026, they found that only the right manipulator arm was functional.
Recently, as crews were pushing forward to remove 15 out of the 18 highly radioactive materials from the hot cells, the right manipulator’s hand dislodged, leaving no manipulator arms available for crews to continue removal.
The team could have replaced the manipulator arm. However, replacing the specialized manipulator arm could have taken up to six months, potentially creating substantial impacts to ongoing cleanup activities and risk reduction efforts at ORNL.
Rather than waiting for replacement equipment, field leadership proposed disengaging the control mechanism that was preventing manual operation of the left manipulator arm. The team implemented the solution in the work area, allowing employees to manually operate the left manipulator to repair the right manipulator, avoiding replacement of either manipulator arm.
The innovative solution demonstrates how UCOR employees use their experience and technical expertise to overcome the unique challenges associated with cleaning up aging nuclear facilities. By identifying a practical alternative to waiting months for replacement equipment, the team minimized downtime, protected project progress, and continued advancing cleanup safely and efficiently.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]