New manipulators: SKIN is the system for the in-service inspections of VVER 440 and VVER 1000 reactor pressure vessels from the inner surface. The manipulator and position control of this system was designed and built in ŠKODA JS. The system is used successfully since 1992 on nuclear power plants. A new system for the remote TV inspection of VVER 1000 internal parts is developed under our supervision at present.

Improvements of existing systems: SKIN was improved in several steps: an ET instrument was added in 1994, the UT instrument Sonolog was replaced by Microplus in 1996 and the position control was simplified and rebuilt in 1997. The system USK 213 for the inspection of the VVER 440 reactor pressure vessel from the outer surface was delivered to the nuclear power. Our company has rebuilt completely the system in NPP Dukovany in 1996 and performs the similar upgrading of this system in NPP Mochovce. This upgrading includes changes of all system components and adding of an ET instrument.

Test blocks for qualification: PHARE 4.1.2 programme was aimed at improvements of the in-service inspections of VVER reactors. Our company was chosen as a subcontractor in this project. Several departments were involved in different stages of this project, which resulted in the production of three test blocks with artificial flaws introduced in JRC Ispra. The test blocks will be used for the qualification of methods and systems for the NDT of VVER reactor pressure vessels.