Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In a major step toward modernizing nuclear infrastructure, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, in partnership with Kairos Power, Barnard Construction, Airtech, TruDesign, Additive Engineering Solutions, Haddy, and the University of Maine, has developed and validated large-scale 3D-printed composite forms for casting complex concrete components.
The 3D-printed forms—used to build radiation shielding columns for Kairos Power’s Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor—were designed and fabricated in just 14 days. This approach enables faster, more flexible nuclear construction compared to traditional methods.
The project is part of the SM2ART Moonshot Project, funded by DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, and aims to reduce cost, improve design agility, and strengthen domestic supply chains for the next generation of U.S. reactors.
ORNL is using #BigScience to make a big impact. Learn more: ornl.gov/bigscience
In a major step toward modernizing nuclear infrastructure, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, in partnership with Kairos Power, Barnard Construction, Airtech, TruDesign, Additive Engineering Solutions, Haddy, and the University of Maine, has developed and validated large-scale 3D-printed composite forms for casting complex concrete components.
The 3D-printed forms—used to build radiation shielding columns for Kairos Power’s Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor—were designed and fabricated in just 14 days. This approach enables faster, more flexible nuclear construction compared to traditional methods.
The project is part of the SM2ART Moonshot Project, funded by DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, and aims to reduce cost, improve design agility, and strengthen domestic supply chains for the next generation of U.S. reactors.
ORNL is using #BigScience to make a big impact. Learn more: ornl.gov/bigscience
