First installation of a 3D printed thimble plugging device in nuclear plant

The American nuclear power company, Westinghouse Electric Company, announced it has successfully 3D printed a thimble plugging device for the nuclear industry. A thimble plugging device is used to hold nuclear fuel as it is lowered into the reactor core, and stop nuclear debris from escaping. The 3D printed part was installed at Exelon’s Byron Unit 1 nuclear plant during its spring refueling outage. This installation marks a breakthrough for the nuclear sector considering the very high safety and reliability requirements that apply to it.

Even though the adoption of additive manufacturing in the nuclear industry has been slow, companies have been developing solutions for this sector for some years now. One of the first companies was Siemens. In 2017, the giant had successfully installed a 3D printed part in a commercial power plant. The benefits of using additive manufacturing in this segment are the ability to produce complex and optimized on-demand parts at a reduced cost. Conventional manufacturing limitations such as longer lead times and limited design flexibility are eliminated with the use of 3D printing technologies.

A 3D printed thimble plugging device

Ken Canavan, Westinghouse’s chief technology officer explains: “Westinghouse continues to lead the way with development of the most advanced technologies to help the world meet growing electricity demand with safe, clean and reliable energy. Our additive manufacturing program offers customers enhanced component designs that help increase performance and reduce costs, as well as provide access to components that may not be available using traditional manufacturing methods.”