Design and R&D progress of blanket attachments

The ITER blanket is built of small regular modules attached to the vacuum vessel by an insulated mechanical support system, an electrical connector for grounding and a hydraulic connector for the coolant manifolds. An attachment has been developed which satisfies the demanding load conditions and which includes the handling features to enable the removal of the module for repair in the hot cells. Latest improvements are presented with the comprehensive R&D activities used to validate the design.