Westinghouse Electric Company recently reached a significant milestone by producing its 1,000th fuel flow plate using additive manufacturing. This is the first safety-related AM component to be mass produced.
“This achievement showcases the development of additive manufacturing from prototyping to full-scale production, generating tangible value for our customers,” said Lou Martínez Sancho, Westinghouse Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, R&D and Innovation. “This marks another Westinghouse pioneering achievement in AM Technology holding the commitment to strengthen safety, efficiency, sustainability and energy security.”
The company conducted the first material irradiation study of AM core components back in 2015. In 2020, Westinghouse installed the first safety-relevant AM component, a thimble plugging device, in a commercially operated reactor.
The implementation of AM components in the nuclear industry shows that additive manufacturing is not only suitable for prototypes or non-critical parts, but also has the potential to further improve efficiency and safety in highly regulated industries.
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