Specialists from the Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (OKBM Afrikantov – part of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division) have 3D printed the impeller or “wheel” of the RITM-200 reactor’s pumping equipment. It was printed at OKBM Afrikantov’s Nizhny Novgorod Additive Technologies Centre using selective laser fusion of metal powder (SLM) technology. The production material was stainless steel grade 12Х18Н10Т, widely used in the industry.
OKBM Afrikantov received permission in November 2025 to manufacture equipment components for the RITM-200 ship reactor using a domestic Ilist-L+ 3D printer. Regulatory documentation was subsequently developed and approved, and the first Russian Maritime Register of Shipping certificate was granted. The use of SLM technology opens up opportunities for the design and production of new serial products, parts and assemblies of increased structural complexity and increased strength.
“When using additive selective laser fusion technology, stainless steel grade 12Х18Н10Т acquires new mechanical and performance properties,” explained Alexander Lukoyanov, Head of the Additive Technologies Centre at OKBM Afrikantov. “This expands the scope of application of the material, increases the reliability and efficiency of products. The development of regulatory documentation and confirmation of the characteristics of the material establish a stable technical and regulatory basis for its further industrial use as part of the equipment of reactor plants.”
Commenting on the effects of the use of additive technologies in the production of elements of the RITM-200 ship reactor plant, Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Technologies Business Unit at Rosatom’s Fuel Division (TVEL) noted: “The use of additive technologies ensures high repeatability of results, minimises the amount of material and reduces the time for manufacturing parts. According to our calculations, the duration of the production cycle for the “Wheel” during additive production was reduced by 20%.”
He added: “Separately, I would like to note that this precedent is a powerful impetus for the formation of a technological map for the additive production of complex and critical parts for the nuclear industry. This ultimately serves as a solid basis for mass production of a wide range of products used in the manufacture of high-tech equipment for the nuclear industry, and brings us to a new level of quality in domestic mechanical engineering.”
SLM technology is an advanced additive manufacturing (3D printing) method that uses a laser energy source to melt metal powders layer by layer, to create highly accurate, dense and durable 3D products that are complex in geometry. In mechanical engineering, this method can be used to produce lightweight components, prototypes and equipment, as well as non-separable structures and functional units. SLM-made components are often more durable due to the lack of welds and prefabricated structures, which are the weakest point.
RITM-200 reactor plant it was developed based on more than 60 years of experience in operating nuclear fleet vessels, combined with the use of modern technologies including 3D design, calculation programs and a supercomputer. RITM-200 has a unique combination of high power, safety and compactness. The installations have been operating as part of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet since 2020 and form the basis of floating power units and low-power NPPs capable of providing electricity to remote areas. A series of floating power units are being built to supply power to a large industrial consumer in Chukotka. Projects are also being implemented to build a low-power NPP using the RITM-200 in Yakutia and Uzbekistan.
