On August 22, 2026, Oak Ridge and Idaho National Laboratories jointly announced a collaboration to produce trial nuclear reactor pressure vessel shells using wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) on the MedUSA platform—which employs three synchronized robotic arms to melt steel wire feedstock—addressing the shortage of large domestic forging capacity in the United States. Printed samples have passed metallographic testing, showing low porosity and good thermal conductivity. The next phase will integrate real-time digital quality control to enable "print-and-certify" workflows, with planned expansion into aerospace, defense, chemical, and oil and gas sectors. Value for powder buyers: ① The WAAM nuclear-grade pressure vessel route offers a forging alternative for large load-bearing components, creating new demand growth for high-strength steel wire and powder feedstocks; ② The trend toward print-and-certify for nuclear components will raise requirements for material batch traceability and quality data, making suppliers with nuclear-grade qualifications increasingly scarce; ③ As three-arm synchronized wire-feeding technology matures, competition between wire and powder feedstocks in large-format metal AM will intensify, and powder producers should monitor the potential substitution impact of wire-based processes on traditional powder routes.