14 Days | Kairos Power’s 3D printing reshapes construction for nuclear energy
This new, innovative casting process could save nuclear power plant companies a lot of money when compared to traditional construction methods.
14 days. That’s all it took for Kairos Power to prove the efficiency and quality of its 3D-printed polymer composite forms for casting complex, high-precision concrete structures. Compared to traditional methods relying on steel or wood forms that can be costly, imprecise, and time-consuming to build, this shift marks a significant advancement in nuclear construction methodology.
Currently, the concrete forms are being used at Kairos Power’s Oak Ridge campus, where the Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor is currently under construction.
A portion of the column form was on display at the East Tennessee Economic Council’s Nuclear Opportunities Workshop, or NOW, July 22–23 at the Knoxville Convention Center.
The 3D-printed forms that were on display at the NOW conference were precursors to those that Kairos Power and Barnard will employ to construct parts of the Hermes reactor facility. Each section measures roughly 10 feet by 10 feet and is stacked three units high to create a column.
The composite forms dramatically cut down production timelines, enabling “cast-in-place” construction of complex structural components with unique geometries in days rather than weeks.
“At ORNL, we’re showing that the future of nuclear construction doesn’t have to look like the past,” said Ryan Dehoff, director of the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF). “We’re combining national lab capabilities with MDF’s legacy of taking big, ambitious swings — moonshots that turn bold ideas into practical solutions — to accelerate new commercial nuclear energy.”
Over the last decade, MDF has led major first-of-their-kind efforts, from 3D printing cars and homes to creating digital tools that qualify parts in real time. These moonshots have helped redefine what’s possible in manufacturing — and now they’re being applied to the challenges of modernizing nuclear energy.
“We’ve had a relationship with MDF since Kairos Power’s formation,” said Edward Blandford, co-founder and chief technology officer of Kairos Power. “They move fast, they think creatively, and they’ve demonstrated that they can deliver transformative results when conventional manufacturing would fall short.”
Blandford explained that while exploring options for precast concrete systems, Kairos Power received a recommendation from a commercial partner to talk with MDF. “It’s not often we get advice from industry to call the national lab because they move quickly.”
The MDF’s collaborative approach supports Kairos Power’s focus on using rapid learning cycles to accelerate technology deployment.
“This project fits squarely into our iterative development approach,” Blandford said. “By building and testing the molds for the columns first, we’re able to refine our methods, engage early with regulators, and reduce risk before we scale up the construction method for Hermes and future plants. That’s been a core part of our strategy from day one.”
Kairos Power’s Janus column demonstrates an element of the company’s novel design for the Hermes bioshield – the thick concrete structure built around a nuclear reactor that absorbs radiation during operation, protecting workers.
The project was supported by multiple industry partners, including Airtech, TruDesign, Additive Engineering Solutions, and Haddy, who collectively established a new supply chain for nuclear infrastructure enabled by additive manufacturing.
Barnard played a key role, implementing and adapting the 3D-printed formwork, providing real-time feedback, and incorporating design changes on the fly to enhance constructability and enable rapid deployment. Dehoff said that the project’s success stemmed from communication between the partners.
“It’s a real example of national lab innovation in action,” he said.
The forms had to withstand the tremendous pressure exerted by the heavy concrete they were designed to shape. ORNL’s Ahmed (Arabi) Hassen, group leader for composites innovation, said that the challenge wasn’t just about geometric precision — the molds needed to maintain their structural integrity under high stress.
This required both mechanical resilience and innovative design and printing strategies, pushing the limits of what additive manufacturing can achieve for structural applications.
The project exemplifies how advanced manufacturing is being used to modernize one of the most traditional construction sectors in American infrastructure.
“We’re taking the best of additive manufacturing — modularity, flexibility, rapid iteration — and applying it to nuclear energy,” he said. “This project shows that we can break through old methods with new technologies that lower barriers, reduce risk, and accelerate construction timelines.”
This project has national significance. The Knoxville-Oak Ridge region is the world’s largest hub of nuclear-focused companies, and Hermes is the first advanced reactor to receive a construction permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It lays the groundwork for Kairos Power’s future commercial plants and a new generation of reactors that will play a pivotal role in meeting surging U.S. energy demands in the coming decades.
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