America’s nuclear industry has a problem that starts long before a reactor is assembled: the United States has limited access to the enormous forging capacity needed for major pressure-retaining components. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory are now exploring whether large-scale metal 3D printing can provide another route. Their latest demonstration involved a roughly 3-by-5-foot steel pressure vessel printed in Tennessee using three robotic arms, as per ORNL.gov.
The vessel is an early milestone, not a certified nuclear component or a replacement for the giant forging presses used today.
