Development of electric discharge equipment for small specimen sampling

We have developed the on-site electric discharge sampling equipment that can effectively take samples such as small specimens from the surface portion of the plant components. Compared with the conventional sampling equipment, our sampling equipment can take samples that are thinner in depth and larger in area. In addition, the affection to the equipment can be held down to the minimum, and the thermally-affected zone of the material due to electric discharge is small. which is to be ignored. Therefore, our equipment is excellent in taking samples for various tests such as residual life evaluation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.