French Nuclear Giant Framatome Inaugurates Additive Manufacturing Hub for WAAM and LPBF
Framatome, a French nuclear technology leader, has officially inaugurated its additive manufacturing center in Romans-sur-Isère. With an investment of €26 million, the facility has been operational since May 2026 and is the only industrial site in Europe to deploy both Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) — two cutting-edge metal 3D printing processes. Spanning 4,500 square meters and employing around 20 staff, the center integrates production, R&D, process qualification, and training, aiming to strengthen supply chain security and industrial sovereignty in the nuclear and defense sectors. By combining WAAM’s capability to produce large, efficient components with LPBF’s precision for complex parts, the facility can manufacture components ranging from a few kilograms to several tons, and from just millimeters up to 5 meters in diameter. This hub represents a strategic push by the nuclear industry to move additive manufacturing from the lab to industrial-scale production.
2026-07-02
Conflux and Dallara Partner to Develop Additively Manufactured Liquid Hydrogen Heat Exchanger
Australian Conflux Technology has partnered with racing car manufacturer Dallara to develop a liquid hydrogen-to-coolant heat exchanger for next-generation hydrogen combustion engine endurance race cars. The ongoing pre-study focuses on cryogenic thermal management challenges, including preventing coolant freezing at ultra-low temperatures, controlling hydrogen embrittlement risks, and optimizing weight and thermal performance within extreme space constraints. Additive manufacturing enables complex internal geometries. This heat exchanger is a critical subsystem for liquid hydrogen storage and delivery, directly impacting pump selection, system packaging, total mass, and integration with existing cooling loops. The project supports the 24 Hours of Le Mans organizer's hydrogen roadmap toward 2030, aiming to provide future manufacturers and teams with a proven liquid hydrogen ICE technology platform. Conflux's additive manufacturing heat exchanger capabilities complement Dallara's race car systems engineering expertise, representing a frontier breakthrough in additive manufacturing for extreme thermal management applications.
2026-07-02
Phillips Integrates Hybrid and Additive Manufacturing to Form AMS Division, Focusing on Integrated Solutions
Phillips Corporation has rebranded its Hybrid Manufacturing division as Phillips Advanced Manufacturing Solutions (AMS). The new division expands from hybrid machine tools to standalone additive systems, robot-assisted metal production, and mobile manufacturing solutions. AMS positions additive manufacturing as a continuous process chain, integrating material deposition with subtractive post-processing, as well as large-format robotic deposition welding followed by machining cells. Its partner portfolio includes Meltio, Fronius, Laserline, InssTek, and MX3D, covering wire-based, laser-based, and robotic large-format metal additive processes. This restructuring reflects the shift in the 3D printing market from standalone equipment toward integrated solutions combining hardware, software, application technology, and services.
2026-07-02