On August 22, 2026, Oak Ridge and Idaho National Laboratories under the U.S. Department of Energy announced a joint effort to prototype nuclear reactor pressure vessel shells using wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) on the MedUSA platform, which employs three synchronized robotic arms to deposit molten steel from wire feedstock. This initiative aims to address the bottleneck of insufficient large forging capacity in the U.S. Test samples have passed metallographic inspection, exhibiting low porosity and good thermal conductivity. The next phase will integrate real-time digital quality control to enable "print-to-certify" capabilities, with future applications extending to aerospace, defense, chemical, and oil and gas sectors. Value for powder purchasers: ① The WAAM-based nuclear-grade pressure vessel route offers a forging alternative for large load-bearing components, creating new demand growth for high-strength steel wire and steel powder; ② The trend toward print-to-certify for nuclear components will intensify requirements for material batch data and quality traceability, while suppliers with nuclear-grade qualifications remain scarce; ③ As three-arm synchronized wire feeding technology matures, competition between wire and powder feedstocks for large-format metal AM will intensify, prompting powder producers to monitor the substitution impact of wire-based processes on traditional powder routes.