APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELECTRIC DISCHARGE MACHINING EXCAVATION AND LASER WELDING REPAIR

摘要

A method of repairing a substrate, such as a reactor pressure vessel control rod drive mechanism nozzle (132), includes the step of excavating a well in the substrate with an electrical discharge machining operation. A wire is then delivered to the well. Simultaneously, laser energy is routed to the well such that the laser energy intersects with the wire to produce a reconstruction weld in the well. A tool delivery system (134) with an electric discharge machining tool head and a reconstruction welding tool head is used to perform the excavation and welding operations.