German company Siemens has successfully completed commercial installation of a 3D-printed part in Slovenia's Krško nuclear power plant.

The new technology helps mature operating plants to continue operation and extend their working life.

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Krško's 3D-printed replacement part is a metallic, 108mm diameter impeller to be used for a fire protection water pump, which is in constant rotating operation. The new printing technology is best suited for old, obsolete, and non-original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, as their designs can be virtually impossible to obtain.

To make the part, Siemens' experts in Slovenia used reverse-engineering to create a digital model. The company then used an additive manufacturing (AM) unit in Sweden to apply its advanced AM process to a 3D printer.

"[This] is another example of how the digital transformation and the data-driven capabilities we have are impacting the energy industry."

Siemens' power generation services division chief executive officer (CEO) Tim Holt said: “This achievement at the Krško nuclear power plant is another example of how the digital transformation and the data-driven capabilities we have are impacting the energy industry in ways that really matter.

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“AM’s reduced lead times and faster production optimises parts replacement and creates real value for our customers.”

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In collaboration with the Krško operations team, Siemens performed extensive testing over several months to ensure the newly developed part would function safely and reliably.

Image: Siemens water pump impeller using additive manufacturing and 3D printing is operating in Slovenia's Krško nuclear power plant. Photo: courtesy of Siemens.