SMR 3D Printing Production Support Center
A production support center focused on advancing and commercializing Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) for large-scale metal components in strategic industries like SMRs, aerospace, defense, and shipbuilding.
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $320M
- Latest Round
- Grant
- Key Investors
- Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province); Gyeongju City; Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of South Korea
Technology & Products
Key Products
Establishment of a 3D printing-based production support center for SMR (Small Modular Reactor) components; provision of hybrid 3D printing, metal 3D printing material manufacturing equipment, and other SMR innovation manufacturing equipment; offering of technical design services, capability building, and professional workforce training for domestic nuclear power SMEs and mid-sized companies.
Technological Advantage
Acts as a strategic facilitator within South Korea's industrial policy ('Korean New Deal'), aligning WAAM process development with national priorities for supply chain localization in SMRs and defense. Its advantage is its convening power and focus on the critical path to production: certification frameworks and end-user engagement.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Accelerates the commercialization of WAAM technology by providing a centralized hub for process development, quality certification, standardization, and production support, helping Korean manufacturers localize critical supply chains and reduce lead times for large metal parts.
How They Differentiate
Unlike pure WAAM equipment manufacturers or service bureaus, this center is positioned as an industry consortium and support hub specifically targeting the systemic barriers (certification, standardization, strategic alignment) to WAAM adoption in high-stakes Korean industrial sectors.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Korean industrial primes in nuclear energy (SMR), aerospace, defense, and shipbuilding sectors.
Industry Verticals
Nuclear Energy; Aerospace; Defense; Shipbuilding
Competitors
WAAM3D; MX3D; Lincoln Electric Additive Solutions
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Project to construct a 320 billion KRW ($320M) production support center in Gyeongju, with completion targeted for 2029; center will host over 10 types of SMR innovation manufacturing equipment including hybrid and metal 3D printing systems.
Major Milestones
Co-hosting the 'WAAM-Based Metal Additive Manufacturing Demonstration and Commercialization Strategy Symposium' in May 2026.