Rosatom 3D prints pump component for RITM-200 ship reactor
Selective laser fusion technology cuts production time by 20% and lays groundwork for serial manufacturing of complex nuclear parts
Specialists from the Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (OKBM Afrikantov), part of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division, have 3D printed the impeller wheel of the RITM-200 ship reactor’s pumping equipment using selective laser fusion technology.
The work was carried out at OKBM Afrikantov’s Nizhny Novgorod Additive Technologies Center using a domestic Ilist-L+ printer and stainless steel grade 12Х18Н10Т.
OKBM Afrikantov received permission to manufacture equipment components for the RITM-200 using the SLM process in November 2025. Regulatory documentation was subsequently developed and approved, and the first Russian Maritime Register of Shipping certificate for the method was granted.
“When using additive selective laser fusion technology, stainless steel grade 12Х18Н10Т acquires new mechanical and performance properties,” stated Alexander Lukoyanov, Head of the Additive Technologies Centre at OKBM Afrikantov.
“This expands the scope of application of the material, increases the reliability and efficiency of products. The development of regulatory documentation and confirmation of the characteristics of the material establish a stable technical and regulatory basis for its further industrial use as part of the equipment of reactor plants.”
Production cycle reduced, serial manufacturing in view
Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Technologies Business Unit at Rosatom’s Fuel Division (TVEL), stated that the additive process cut the production cycle for the impeller wheel by 20%. “The use of additive technologies ensures high repeatability of results, minimises the amount of material and reduces the time for manufacturing parts,” he said.
“Separately, I would like to note that this precedent is a powerful impetus for the formation of a technological map for the additive production of complex and critical parts for the nuclear industry. This ultimately serves as a solid basis for mass production of a wide range of products used in the manufacture of high-tech equipment for the nuclear industry, and brings us to a new level of quality in domestic mechanical engineering.”
The RITM-200 reactor has been in service aboard Russian nuclear icebreakers since 2020. The design also underpins floating power units and low-power nuclear power plants (NPPs) being developed for remote areas, including projects in Yakutia, Uzbekistan, and Chukotka.
