Additive technologies

IN THE AREA “ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGIES” THE INDUSTRY INTEGRATOR WAS FOUNDED WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF FUEL COMPANY TVEL, the integrator combines the competences of Rosatom research and production companies within the framework of the additive technologies development in the industry.

The activities of RusAT cover all components of the additive market: production of 3D-printers, manufacturing of equipment for production of powders, development of software and establishment of additives’ production centers.

The development of the additive business is paid a lot of attention at the federal level. In 2019, the Agreement of intent was signed between the Government of the Russian Federation in the purposes of development in Russia of the technology for production of new materials and substances. To implement the Agreement the parties developed and signed the Roadmap, which specified the three-dimensional printing as a priority. As an integrator RusAT ensures the implementation of the Agreement with the Russian Government government, develops the suggestions to the Roadmap and implements it.

The Association for development of additive technologies was established in December 2020, it unites the industry integrator RusAT (a subsidiary of Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL), Aerospace Defense Concern Almaz-Antey, Gazprom Neft, All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials, RPA Technomash of State Corporation Roscosmos, and Center for Additive Technologies of State Corporation Rostech.

In 2020, the first Center of Additive Technologies was opened in Moscow, it was the first step towards the establishment of an entire network of such centers in the framework of implementation of the Roadmap.

Moscow Center of Additive Technologies of State Corporation Rosatom is the only in Russia that operates based on national equipment of in-house production, the center is equipped with 3D-printers Rusmelt 300M, Rusmelt 600M and Rusmelt 600RM for printing out with metal powders on the basis of SLM technology. In addition, the printer RusMelt 600M allows printing out the unique products in terms of its dimensions. Only a few leading producers over the world possess similar machines. All printers operates with national software.

RusAT developed a line of 3D-designed printers operating based on selective laser melting technology (SLM) with operating areas 300X300 mm and 600X600 mm respectively. The 3D-printers are capable to combine materials in fabrication of the products, as well as provide the simultaneous operation of up to four lasers, which significantly speeds up the printing process.

The facilities for production of metal powders from stainless steels and titanium powders were put into operation on the basis of RPA Centrotech in Novouralsk.

The additive technologies are specified with a number of undeniable advantages: they allow fabricating the products of the most complex forms unachievable with application of mechanical processing or casting. In addition, the three-dimensional printing enables to significantly reduce the weight of the products and schedules for production of prototypes, to accurately calculate the scopes of the consumable materials, save the original raw materials and minimize the waste.

Modern 3D-printers are also capable to quickly re-adjust the print settings, significantly reduce the time needed for fabrication of the product from the 3D-model design to completely fabricated products, and the computer 3D-models of the components can be immediately transmitted over the Internet network to the production site from other cities.