Additive manufacturing in nuclear power plants (AM-NPP)

The general objective of AM-NPP is to increase the knowledge of Finnish stakeholders on the use of Additive Manufacturing (AM), in particular Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), therefore ensuring the safe use of additively manufactured metallic components in the nuclear sector. It is a technology which is showing a lot of applicability potential, e.g. in dealing with obsolescence in Nuclear Power Plants, but for which there is still little exposure to for both licensees and regulator. AM-NPP aims at closing this gap. The work developed during the different work packages aims at: Expanding standard procedures and deepen understanding of material-process-property relationships; contributing with scientific based facts to the introduction of AM in nuclear design codes; and, identifying safe ways of replacing obsolete components and realize new designs using AM. During the first two years of the project the focus has been on creating a roadmap of the use of AM in Finnish nuclear sector. Also, applicability of AM components and methods of quality control have been studied.