French nuclear company Framatome has inaugurated an additive manufacturing centre at its site in Romans sur Isère (Drôme).
Framatome believes the 6,000 m² and €25 million facility, which has been operational since May 2026, is the only one of its kind in Europe.
It will be used for the additive manufacture of metal mechanical components, while also incorporating research and development activities, industrial process qualification capabilities, and a training hub for Framatome's internal teams and partners.
“This new additive manufacturing centre is at the heart of Framatome's strategic ambition: to develop world-class industrial assets that sustainably support nuclear projects and meet the needs of our customers and partners, in France and across the globe, as well as those of the defence sector,” said Grégoire Ponchon, CEO of Framatome. “Through additive manufacturing, we are strengthening the sovereignty of Framatome's industrial capabilities, consolidating the competitiveness of strategic sectors and securing essential supply chains, while accelerating innovation in the service of performance and safety in nuclear and defence installations.”
Framatome's additive manufacturing centre uses two cutting-edge metal printing processes - wire-arc additive manufacturing and laser powder bed fusion - giving it the capacity to produce parts that range from a few kilograms to several tons, with dimensions ranging from a few millimetres up to five meters in diameter. The company also expects additive manufacturing to reduce costs, lower lead times, and help with material and energy optimisation.
A team of 20 people will be based in the additive manufacturing centre, which has been named after Admiral Bernard-Antoine Morio de l'Isle, in memory of the late General Officer who served the Nation throughout his career in the French Navy, before joining Framatome to contribute his experience and provide guidance.
MX3D confirmed as key technology provider
Since Framatome's announcement, MX3D has revealed that the company is deploying its Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing technology at the Amiral Bernard-Antoine Morio de l’Isle Additive Manufacturing Center.
MX3D's technology will be leveraged for the production of critical components with complex geometries, from medium-sized parts like 1-ton impellers and large structures weighing between 20 and 25 tons.
“With the Amiral Bernard-Antoine Morio de l’Isle center fully operational, we have entered a new era for truly large-scale Additive Manufacturing in Nuclear Energy,” said Gijs van der Velden, CEO of MX3D. “We are incredibly proud that MX3D’s WAAM systems are a core driving force inside Europe’s first nuclear facility of this scale. The opening of this facility marks a milestone in strengthening European strategic and sovereign industrial capability. It proves that large-scale metal 3D printing is ready to deliver repeatable quality for the most demanding applications in the nuclear sector and beyond.”
