Nuclear construction breakthrough earns ORNL 2026 SME Award
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
A team from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has won the 2026 SME Aubin Additive Manufacturing Case Study Award, which recognizes outstanding real-world applications of 3D printing. ORNL's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility led the effort, using large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) to create high-precision molds for advanced nuclear reactors. The work could help lower costs and shorten timelines for building new nuclear plants in the United States.