Desktop Metal, Inc. announced that Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), a leading developer of Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) systems for the production of safe, commercially competitive, clean and reliable nuclear energy, has adopted two 3D printers from the recently updated X-Series line of binder jetting systems, with two additional machines to follow this year.

Desktop Metal’s recently rebranded X-Series line of binder jet 3D printing systems for metal and ceramic powders — which includes the InnoventX, X25Pro and X160Pro — can 3D print advanced materials such as silicon carbide (SiC), a technical ceramic with extreme environmental stability often used in aerospace, armor, plasma shield, and high-temperature applications.

USNC transforms highly pure, crystalline, nuclear-grade SiC into the shapes and forms that can safely surround a nuclear fuel particle, enabling USNC’s Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated (FCM) fuel innovation. The technology, which is detailed in a case study also released today, is a key component of USNC’s innovative fuel design for use in a new generation of advanced reactors.

“Binder jetting is a low-cost, high-yield, reliable process for our complex serial production,” said Dr. Kurt A. Terrani, executive vice president of USNC’s Core Division and an internationally recognized technology leader in nuclear fuels. He previously led multiple research and development efforts at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He added, “The advanced material capability of the X-Series machines is fundamental to our innovative approach to fuel design.”

Desktop Metal
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