World's largest polymer 3D printer makes giant nuclear reactor parts

US scientists at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) have pioneered a faster, cost-effective method for manufacturing large nuclear reactor components using the world’s largest polymer 3D printer. The team created massive, precision-shaped concrete form liners for Kairos Power’s next-generation 35-megawatt Hermes reactor under construction in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. These liners, each three feet thick and 27 feet tall with complex sinusoidal curves, were produced to meet tight commercial deadlines and millimeter-level precision requirements, overcoming the limitations of traditional construction methods. The project leveraged ASCC’s advanced printing capabilities, including a hybrid casting system and rigorous digital scanning and metrology to ensure exact conformity to digital models. This collaboration, supported by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and part of the SM²ART alliance, highlights the university’s role in accelerating manufacturing innovation and workforce development. Additionally, UMaine is developing the Material Process Property Warehouse (MPPW), an AI