Three-Line Summary

• Successful localization of a metal 3D-printed impeller
• Operated without defects for 18 months in an actual nuclear power plant environment
• Application of 3D printing technology to next-generation nuclear power components, including SMRs, under consideration
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• [Multi-blade impeller manufactured by Daegun Tech / Courtesy of Daegun Tech]

  A Korean 3D printing company has successfully localized a component used in nuclear power plant generator circuit breakers. The component, known as an “impeller,” is a rotating component used in equipment such as turbines and was previously dependent on overseas imports.

  Daegun Tech announced on the 13th that a metal 3D-printed component manufactured in cooperation with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) had been applied to an operating nuclear power plant for the first time in Korea and successfully operated for 18 months without any defects.

  Daegun Tech is a metal 3D printing company based in the Changwon National Industrial Complex in Gyeongsangnam-do. The component successfully demonstrated in this project is a “multi-blade impeller” used to cool a generator circuit breaker at a nuclear power plant.

  A Daegun Tech official said, “Conventional multi-blade impellers consist of multiple blades assembled onto a fixed plate, which creates the possibility of damage at the joints between the plate and blades.”

  The official added, “The newly developed product is an integrated structure manufactured using the Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) metal additive manufacturing process. By eliminating the assembled joints, the new design reduces structural vulnerability and improves durability compared with conventional products.”

  The project involved KHNP, Daegun Tech, KEPCO KPS, Taeil Blower and other participating companies, with Daegun Tech responsible for metal 3D printing manufacturing.

  KHNP installed the impeller at Saeul Unit 1 in January last year, marking the first such application in Korea. The component then operated continuously for 18 months without defects until the planned preventive maintenance period in July this year.

  A Daegun Tech official said, “This project confirmed that components manufactured using metal 3D printing can operate reliably over an extended period in an actual nuclear power plant environment. It is also particularly meaningful because the project successfully localized a component that had previously relied on overseas imports.”

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

  Ki Soo Shin, CEO of Daegun Tech, said, “Building on our experience in applying metal 3D printing technology to nuclear power plants, we will continue to expand its application into high-value industries that demand a high level of reliability, including defense, aerospace, and energy.”