Nikon SLM Options and the French Different Energies and Atomic Vitality Fee (CEA) have established a collaborative innovation hub, named “MANTRA,” to advance giant‑format metallic additive manufacturing (AM) for nuclear‑power purposes.
The partnership brings collectively Nikon SLM’s industrial‑scale metallic AM programs and CEA’s 80‑12 months analysis heritage in nuclear and low‑carbon power applied sciences. CEA states it is going to leverage its supplies, simulation and qualification experience, whereas Nikon SLM will contribute its giant‑format laser powder‑mattress fusion (L‑PBF) platforms and course of improvement capabilities.
MANTRA is designed to offer a structured framework that covers design, simulation, materials information era, and real-world testing beneath nuclear-relevant circumstances. The initiative explicitly targets the event of tailor-made AM course of parameters for nuclear‑grade supplies, exploration of advanced geometries past conventional manufacturing limits, and demonstration of fabric qualification for big‑sized parts.
With this collaboration, Nikon SLM and CEA goal to speed up the industrialisation of metallic AM for the nuclear business, and place the expertise for broader use in different excessive‑reliability domains equivalent to aerospace or defence. Nikon SLM CEO Sam O’Leary commented: “Partnering with CEA… provides us a robust basis to assist form the way forward for power infrastructure with metallic AM on the core.”
CEA’s programme supervisor, Stéphanie Riché, said the collaboration provides them “entry to world‑main expertise… and the power to co‑develop options that align with the rigorous requirements of our sector and can profit industrial actors in Europe and past.”
The hub is ready to be formally launched on the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) in Paris in November.
Metallic additive manufacturing is more and more seen as viable for demanding sectors that require licensed parts, advanced geometries and optimized supplies efficiency. VoxelMatters Analysis‘s information reveals that AM is beginning to be adopted for nuclear parts, the place conventional manufacturing strategies are reaching limitations in value or lead time.
For Nikon SLM, the partnership aligns with its trajectory following its acquisition by Nikon Company (which introduced SLM Options’ L‑PBF platform beneath Nikon’s umbrella) and its rising deal with giant‑scale manufacturing for power, aerospace and defence. For CEA, the initiative gives a pathway to scale back manufacturing bottlenecks in nuclear infrastructure, improve the lifecycle efficiency of important parts, and combine rising manufacturing applied sciences into the sector’s provide chain.
