Daegun Tech, a metal 3D printing specialist based in the Changwon National Industrial Complex, has demonstrated its technological capabilities following the successful long-term operation of a metal 3D-printed component for a nuclear power plant, which the company participated in manufacturing using its proprietary technologies.

Daegun Tech announced on the 10th that a multi-blade impeller jointly developed by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and domestic companies, including Daegun Tech, had been successfully operated at the Shin-Hanul? No, Saeul Unit 1 nuclear power plant for 18 months without any defects. The component is used to cool the generator circuit breaker at the nuclear power plant, with Daegun Tech responsible for its metal 3D printing production.

Conventional impellers are manufactured by assembling multiple blades onto a fixed plate, creating the potential for damage at the joints. To address this issue, KHNP and participating domestic companies developed an integrated impeller in 2024 using Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), combining the fixed plate and blades into a single structure.

Daegun Tech manufactured the component using STS316L material and verified its performance and durability through heat treatment, mechanical property testing, airflow testing, and other validation procedures.

KHNP installed the impeller at Saeul Unit 1 in January last year, where it operated reliably for 18 months through the planned preventive maintenance period in July this year. Another significant achievement is that the entire process—from design and metal 3D printing to performance validation testing—was carried out using domestic technologies, contributing to the localization of a component that had previously relied on overseas imports.

Based on its proprietary equipment and technologies capable of large-scale metal additive manufacturing up to 800 mm, Daegun Tech plans to expand its business into high-value industries including defense, aerospace, and energy.

Following the successful demonstration, KHNP is also considering expanding the application of 3D-printed components to other nuclear power plants and utilizing the technology for components in next-generation nuclear power systems, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

“The future of metal 3D printing lies in the integration and lightweighting of precision industrial components that are difficult to manufacture using conventional methods,” said Ki Soo Shin, CEO of Daegun Tech. “Building on our experience in nuclear power applications, we will continue to expand the use of our technologies into high-value industries that require exceptional reliability, including defense, aerospace, and energy.”

Founded in 1998, Daegun Tech has continued to strengthen its technological development and manufacturing capabilities, with cable harnesses and metal 3D printing as its core businesses. The company also supplies products to overseas markets including the United States, Japan, and India, and expects annual sales to reach the KRW 50 billion range this year.

Changwon — Kang Jong-hyo, Reporter
k123@kukinews.com