---
title: "ORNL wins 2026 SME award for 3D printed precision nuclear reactor molds"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/ornl-wins-2026-sme-award-for-3d-printed-precision-nuclear-reactor-molds/
date: 2026-04-24
modified: 2026-04-24
lang: en
author: "Joseph Caron-Dawe"
description: "A research team from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has received the 2026 SME Aubin Additive Manufacturing Case Study Award at the SME AM Awards. The..."
categories:
  - "AM for Energy"
  - "Concrete"
  - "Construction 3D Printing"
  - "LFAM"
  - "Nuclear Energy"
tags:
  - "insights"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ORNL-wins-2026-SME-award-640x400.jpg
word_count: 382
---

# ORNL wins 2026 SME award for 3D printed precision nuclear reactor molds

[A research team from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/oak-ridge-national-laboratory/) has received the 2026 SME Aubin Additive Manufacturing Case Study Award at the SME AM Awards.

The honor recognized the team's [use of large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) to produce high-precision composite molds for concrete structures in advanced nuclear reactor construction](https://www.voxelmatters.com/lfam-enables-the-future-of-nuclear-energy-at-ornl/). The SME AM Awards highlight outstanding real-world applications of 3D printing.

The project was led by ORNL's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) in collaboration with the University of Maine, reactor developer Kairos Power, and other US industry partners. Award judges cited the project's technical rigor, industry collaboration, and national impact as decisive factors in its selection.

## Addressing construction timelines in nuclear energy

Nuclear concrete structures — including radiation shielding components — can account for up to 60% of schedule risk in nuclear plant construction, stated ORNL. The ORNL team used LFAM to produce molds for bio-shield strongback columns and radiation shielding wall panels for Kairos Power's modular reactor program, with some shielding panels reaching 8.2 meters in length and featuring complex interlocking joints designed to reduce or eliminate the need for grout between sections.

Molds were designed using digital computer models, printed in sections, then machined and sealed to achieve tolerances of one-sixteenth of an inch on critical surfaces. The completed molds withstood the pressure of wet concrete poured at heights of up to 3.7 meters.

![ORNL wins 2026 SME award for 3D printed precision nuclear reactor molds](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ORNL-wins-2026-SME-award-Ahmed-Hassen-340x340.jpg)Ahmed Hassen, Group Leader for Composites Innovation at ORNL and project lead

“Construction has been a major bottleneck for advanced reactors,” said Ahmed Hassen, Group Leader for Composites Innovation at ORNL and project lead. “We showed that [digital manufacturing can cut weeks off the schedule while meeting strict nuclear standards](https://www.voxelmatters.com/ornl-qualifying-3d-printed-nuclear-materials/).”

The team designed, printed, and delivered reusable molds in approximately two weeks — compared to six to eight weeks required for conventional steel tooling. The molds completed four casting cycles for bio-shield columns and three cycles for shielding wall panels without measurable quality loss.

## Scaling toward commercial adoption

The MDF team is now in discussions with a major US precast manufacturer about broader adoption of the LFAM tooling approach.

“This project shows that additive manufacturing is not just for prototypes,” Hassen said. “It can be a reliable, repeatable system for building safety-critical nuclear infrastructure to strengthen the country's energy security.”