Russia's largest DMD printer unveiled at Metalloobrabotka 2023

Russia's largest DMD printer was unveiled today at Metalloobrabotka 2023.

This unique equipment operates using direct laser-growth technology, which is based on layer-by-layer formation of a workpiece blank with a load capacity of up to eight tonnes, through the gradual build-up of metal volume when the laser beam melts powder material fed by an inert gas.

“Powder technology is one of the drivers that are defining the face of next-generation technology,” said Olga Ospennikova, Executive Director at the Association for Additive Technologies Development, opening the ceremony. “This really is a breakthrough step towards the creation of new high-tech equipment, a machine which has opened the door to additive technology in the nuclear industry. With it, we will be able to print large parts of nuclear reactors. That is a prospect that was unattainable just yesterday. We would like to say many thanks to the project integrator RusAT and the Institute of Laser and Welding Technologies at St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SPbSMTU).”

RusAT CEO Ilya Kavelashvili said in his welcoming speech, “I am very pleased to present our machine. This is an important step for the introduction of additive technology in Rosatom. We are going into heavy engineering. We are moving from printing in kilograms to printing in tonnes. This will save a lot of material, increase productivity and improve the quality of our products.”

Director General and Chief Designer at the Institute of Laser and Welding Technologies at St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SPbSMTU), Rector at St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SPbSMTU) Gleb Turichin said that the institute had been developing direct laser growing technologies since 2014. He noted that direct laser growing was a Russian version of DMD technologies, differing by higher productivity and larger dimensions of products.

The conference programme of Metalloobrabotka 2023 also included the Panel on Additive Technologies in Russia: Ideas Take Shape, where developers of unique equipment exchanged opinions in more detail on various aspects of creating breakthrough technologies and the necessary conditions for accelerating their emergence. The discussion was moderated by RusAT CEO Ilya Kavelashvili.

Deputy Director for Technological Development of Rosatom Group Dmitry Ivanets shared his thoughts about the role of large state corporations in the process of initiation of innovative developments. In particular, he spoke about the results of the work to implement the agreement between the Russian Government and Rosatom State Corporation on the development of the high-tech sector of technologies of new materials and substances in Russia.

A significant part of the discussion was devoted to state support measures for the developers of innovative equipment, as well as support for the creation of new production facilities. Various aspects of state participation in regulation of such activity were touched upon by Rector at St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SPbSMTU) Gleb Turichin, General Director at CNIITMASH Viktor Orlov, Director of Research and Production Technological Centre of Additive Technologies and Materials at Almaz-Antey Lubov Nefyodova, General Director at the Additive Technologies Center of the Rostec State Corporation Vladislav Kochkurov, Deputy General Director for Development of Project Activities and Intracooperative Relations at NPO Energomash Denis Pudkov, and other speakers. Attention was drawn to the importance of integrated state support measures and the development of unified inter-sectoral requirements for the hardware complex, including ensuring the principles of technology transferability.

Press Service, EXPOCENTRE AO