Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A procedure for the repair of a defective section of a pipe in the primary circuit of a nuclear reactor cooled by pressurized water connecting a first and a second component of the primary circuit, the procedure comprising the steps:assembling a self contained unitary movable robotic work device having three main parts, a programmed and remote controlled working anthropomorphic arm movable along six axes, a crawler providing motion for the device, and a support for stabilizing the device in a pipe;introducing in its entirety the robotic work device, inclusive of its three main parts, into the pipe from one of the first and second components of the primary circuit;remotely controlling the positioning of the work device within the pipe;an end part of the arm being remotely operated under computer control to selectively pick up and replace on-board automatic tools to perform tasks respectively including—a) inspecting a pipe interior surfaceb) machining selected inspected interior portions of the pipe surface; andc) welding selected machined portions of the pipe interior surface.