ORNL wins 2026 SME Aubin Additive Manufacturing Case Study Award for nuclear construction breakthrough

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility has won the 2026 SME Aubin Additive Manufacturing Case Study Award for using large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) to produce high-precision composite molds for advanced nuclear reactor construction. The team, led by Ahmed Hassen, group leader for composites innovation, worked with the University of Maine, Kairos Power, and other partners to create reusable molds for Kairos Power’s modular reactor shielding structures. Each bio-shield strongback column measured roughly 8x8x20 feet, while some shielding wall panels reached 27 feet in length with complex interlocking joints. The molds achieved critical surface precision of one-sixteenth of an inch, were designed, printed, and delivered in about two weeks, and completed four casting cycles for columns and three for wall panels without measurable quality loss. The award was presented at the SME AM Awards and TCT Awards Gala on April 14, 2026, in Boston.

This project directly addresses a persistent bottleneck in the energy vertical: construction schedule risk for advanced nuclear reactors, where concrete structures can account for up to 60% of that risk. Traditional steel molds take six to eight weeks to build and are difficult to modify; ORNL’s LFAM approach cut that to two weeks while enabling rapid design iteration. The work is a concrete example of the industrial-tooling pattern applied to energy infrastructure — using AM not for end-use parts but for production tooling that reduces cost and lead time in a highly regulated environment. The team is now in discussions with a major U.S. precast manufacturer to scale the approach, which could meaningfully lower the cost and timeline for bringing small modular reactors (SMRs) online. This is a cross-process application (LFAM for tooling, not direct part production) that demonstrates how AM can unlock value in capital-intensive, schedule-sensitive construction projects.

From an expert standpoint, this award validates a pragmatic use case for large-format AM in nuclear construction: tooling for concrete casting, not the concrete itself. The key metric is not print speed or material novelty but the ability to meet nuclear-grade tolerances (1/16 inch) and survive multiple casting cycles. The next step is scaling from demonstration to production — the precast manufacturer discussions will determine whether this approach becomes a standard practice or remains a one-off project. For the energy sector, the takeaway is that AM tooling can reduce construction risk without requiring changes to certified concrete formulations or reactor designs.