Wedoany.com Report-Apr. 6, The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), under construction in Cadarache, France, has received the first half of a second upending tool to accelerate the assembly of its sector modules. The second half is due to arrive soon. This tool is essential for managing some of ITER’s largest parts, including vacuum vessel sectors and toroidal field coils.

ITER global logistics provider DAHER delivers the first half of the second upending tool

Due to its size, the upending tool’s steel frame arrives in two parts, which are then joined on-site. Manufactured by Korea’s Yujin Mechatronics under a tight schedule, this second tool mirrors the first but offers greater flexibility. The original upending tool, operational at ITER for five years, required reconfiguration for each task—switching between handling vacuum vessel sectors and toroidal field coils. This process slowed assembly, as adjustments took weeks.

With the new tool, each unit can specialize in one component type, eliminating the need for lengthy reconfigurations. This efficiency is expected to save weeks in the assembly timeline, streamlining the construction of the experimental fusion reactor. The delivery of the second upending tool marks a practical step forward for ITER, enhancing its ability to handle massive components with precision and speed.