The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has joined a major East Tennessee initiative designed to reshape how advanced nuclear reactors are manufactured, assembled and supported by a skilled regional workforce. Known as the Nuclear Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Precast, or NuCAMP, the collaboration brings together universities, national laboratories, industrial manufacturers, construction companies and community colleges to accelerate technologies that could make next-generation nuclear power faster, more economical and more adaptable to modern energy demands.
The initiative is being led by Kairos Power under a newly signed memorandum of understanding with the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, Barnard Construction, Roane State Community College, Chattanooga State Community College and Oak Ridge Schools. Together, the organizations will examine how advanced manufacturing and construction techniques can be translated from research laboratories and pilot facilities into practical systems capable of supporting commercial nuclear deployment. The partnership also includes international expertise from Samsung C&T Engineering and Construction Group and Cambridge Vacuum Engineering, which are exploring opportunities to provide strategic advice on manufacturing and construction technologies.
NuCAMP arrives as the nuclear industry is attempting to move beyond the traditional model of building reactors almost entirely on site through large-scale, sequential construction projects. Advanced reactors are being designed with modularity, factory production and simplified systems in mind, but the technologies needed to manufacture their components at scale are still developing. Many of the proposed techniques are not yet fully covered by the engineering codes and regulatory frameworks that govern safety-related nuclear structures and components. NuCAMP is intended to close that gap by connecting technical research with industrial experience, regulatory needs and workforce preparation from the beginning.
One of the initiative’s central research areas is the use of precast concrete for safety-related nuclear structures. Precast construction involves producing concrete sections in a controlled factory environment before transporting and assembling them at the reactor site. Compared with conventional cast-in-place construction, factory production can offer more consistent quality, tighter process control and improved scheduling. For nuclear facilities, however, precast components must meet demanding requirements related to strength, durability, reinforcement, dimensional accuracy, radiation resistance and long-term performance under unusual thermal and mechanical conditions. Researchers will investigate how these components can be designed, produced and qualified for use in structures whose reliability is essential to public safety.
The partnership will also explore large-format additive manufacturing, a technology that could change how the molds and forms used in precast construction are produced. Instead of fabricating a form through multiple machining and assembly steps, large-scale additive manufacturing can deposit material layer by layer to create complex, customized geometries. Such forms could reduce material waste, shorten production times and allow engineers to produce shapes that would be expensive or impossible to manufacture conventionally. In nuclear construction, these advantages may be especially valuable when components must be tailored to a specific reactor design or when rapid modifications are needed during the development process.
Another major focus is wire-arc additive manufacturing, a metal deposition process that uses an electric arc to melt wire and build three-dimensional structures in successive layers. The method can produce large metal components more rapidly than some conventional subtractive techniques, which create parts by removing material from a much larger block. NuCAMP partners will examine whether wire-arc additive manufacturing can be used to produce vessel sections, nozzles, pump components and other large parts for advanced reactors. The technical challenge is not simply forming the component; researchers must also characterize its microstructure, manage residual stresses, verify mechanical properties and demonstrate that the finished part can meet strict nuclear-quality standards.
Electron beam welding will provide a complementary manufacturing capability. In this process, a focused beam of high-energy electrons generates heat in a vacuum, allowing metal components to be joined with a narrow weld and limited distortion. Reduced distortion can be critical when fabricating large, precision-engineered nuclear components, where even small dimensional changes can interfere with assembly or affect performance. The teams will study how electron beam welding can be applied to large structures, including how weld quality, fatigue resistance, defect detection and long-term behavior can be documented for regulatory review.
Developing the technology is only one part of NuCAMP’s mission. The partners will also work to produce the technical evidence needed for code development, licensing and regulatory engagement. Nuclear construction depends on detailed standards that define acceptable materials, processes, inspections and performance margins. New manufacturing methods must therefore be tested not only for efficiency, but also for repeatability and predictable behavior over decades of operation. By generating shared data and engineering guidance, the initiative could help transform emerging techniques from promising demonstrations into recognized industrial practices. That transition is often one of the most difficult stages in bringing advanced energy technologies to market.
The initiative is equally focused on preparing the people who will operate, maintain and expand this manufacturing ecosystem. The University of Tennessee plans to evaluate two proposed master’s degree programs: one centered on manufacturing engineering for factory-based nuclear production and another focused on precast concrete construction. These programs could train engineers to work across the boundaries of materials science, structural engineering, quality assurance, robotics, fabrication and nuclear regulation. Community colleges and Oak Ridge Schools will contribute to the broader workforce-development effort, creating potential pathways for students and workers seeking technical careers in welding, machining, construction, industrial automation and advanced manufacturing.
Kairos Power’s Reactor Demonstration Campus in Oak Ridge will serve as NuCAMP’s host site and provide facilities for manufacturing development, workforce training and collaboration. The campus includes dedicated space for precast production, equipment assembly, welding and additive manufacturing, allowing researchers and industrial partners to test processes in an environment closely connected to an actual advanced-reactor program. University officials say the collaboration could strengthen Tennessee’s position in the emerging nuclear economy by pairing research capabilities with industrial deployment and education. If successful, NuCAMP could offer a model for how regions can build advanced nuclear capacity—not only by designing reactors, but by developing the factories, standards, supply chains and skilled workers needed to bring them into operation.
Subject of Research: Advanced nuclear manufacturing, construction technologies, precast concrete, additive manufacturing, electron beam welding and nuclear workforce development
Article Title: UT Joins Initiative to Advance Nuclear Manufacturing, Construction and Workforce Development in East Tennessee
Web References: https://mediasvc.eurekalert.org/Api/v1/Multimedia/20d93aba-6e4e-4aef-b97e-5dc08cda521d/Rendition/low-res/Content/Public
References: University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Kairos Power; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation; Barnard Construction; Roane State Community College; Chattanooga State Community College; Oak Ridge Schools; Samsung C&T Engineering and Construction Group; Cambridge Vacuum Engineering
Image Credits: University of Tennessee
Keywords: Nuclear energy, construction techniques, manufacturing, materials processing, advanced reactors, additive manufacturing, precast concrete, electron beam welding, workforce development
