Ringhals develops maintenance with 3D printing

Components that were previously standard items can now have delivery times of several years. When the Ringhals nuclear power plant plans for operations far into the future, access to spare parts becomes an increasingly strategic issue. 3D printing has emerged as a way to reduce vulnerabilities in the supply chain, but the technology must be qualified for one of Sweden’s most strictly regulated industries.

When Ringhals reactors 3 and 4 were commissioned in the 1980s, the availability of spare parts was not a concern. The manufacturers were established, the parts complied with standards, and deliveries could be planned without any major uncertainty. Today, the conditions have changed completely. Many components are no longer manufactured, suppliers have left the market and competition for the few remaining subcontractors has increased, especially as new nuclear power investments are being discussed both nationally and internationally.

– We have facilities that have been in operation for more than 40 years, and now there is talk of extending their service life to 80 years. This places completely different demands on our ability to replace components and secure spare parts over time, says Per Waernqvist, senior materials engineer at Ringhals. He continues:

– When we look at the suppliers we have access to today, there is almost a monopoly in the market. So in some cases, we pay very high prices for our components.

Proven technology crucial in strictly regulated environments

There is no doubt that additive manufacturing is interesting, but for Ringhals it is not enough that the technology works in other industries. In nuclear power, every new method must comply with both internal guidelines and regulatory requirements, where the focus is on ensuring that the installed components are well proven, both in terms of technology and materials.

Against this backdrop, Ringhals began collaborating with RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and what is now known as the AM Centre in 2018. The goal was not to start producing parts quickly, but to build up knowledge about additive manufacturing and understand how the technology can be qualified for a strictly regulated industry. The collaboration has given Ringhals access to both equipment and expertise throughout the value chain.

– We must be thoroughly familiar with what we put into our facilities. It must be well-proven technology and well-proven materials. This applies not only to what we manufacture ourselves, but also to what we receive from other suppliers. We must therefore be able to set requirements for them, says Per Waernqvist.

The work has covered everything from powder manufacturing and design to post-processing and material testing. Over the years, a number of joint projects have been carried out, in which components have been tested, evaluated and documented in accordance with Ringhals’ internal standards. The result is a growing knowledge base that is now beginning to yield concrete applications.

From experiment to practical implementation

Per Waernqvist explains that the additively manufactured components installed so far have mainly been non-pressure-bearing parts, such as pipe supports and internal filter components. These parts have been deliberately selected to allow a gradual evaluation of the technology without compromising safety. At the same time, the installations provide valuable information on operational performance and material properties.

– We have already put components into operation and are monitoring them over time. This gives us the opportunity to gather real-world experience and build confidence in the technology, he says.

At the same time, extensive work is underway on standardisation, both at national and international level. This is a key issue for the nuclear power industry, as new manufacturing methods must be reviewed, verified and approved by both internal and external bodies before they can be put into use. Only when regulations and standards are in place can additive manufacturing move from pilot projects to wider use.

– One requirement we have set from the outset is that what we produce must be at least as good as, or better than, conventionally manufactured materials. This applies to all aspects, including mechanics, fracture mechanics and corrosion under all planned operating conditions.

Internal storage, virtual storage solutions and on-demand maintenance

In the long term, Ringhals sees additive manufacturing as a way to reduce risks, especially when critical components can no longer be purchased with reasonable delivery times. Per Waernqvist describes how the technology can enable virtual warehouses, where spare parts do not need to be physically stored but can instead be manufactured as needed.

– There is talk of something called on-demand manufacturing. This means that 3D models of existing components can be created proactively, thereby building virtual warehouses.

This is one of the reasons why Ringhals, together with Forsmark and Vattenfall, is now investigating a business case for a possible in-house operation.

This would be a new type of venture for Vattenfall, but Waernqvist points out that the supplier situation, the geopolitical situation and the industry’s transition make the initiative more strategic than before.

– We definitely see that there is an incentive to create security by being able to manufacture the components in-house, i.e. not being completely dependent on any other supplier, says Waernqvist.

And he concludes:

– At Additive Intelligence, we will talk about our collaboration with RISE, the benefits we see and how far we have actually come in the process. At the same time, we will look ahead to what we will need to build up our own capabilities within Vattenfall.

Underhållsmässan 2026 and Additive Intelligence 4.0

On 12–13 March, Vattenfall will take part in Additive Intelligence 4.0 with a series of presentations, focusing in particular on Ringhals and its collaboration with RISE. The emphasis will be on what it takes to introduce the technology into a regulated environment — from material data and process control to standards and verification.

Are you keen to learn about Additive Intelligence 4.0?
You can read more and book your place at the conference here.

To learn more about the Underhållsmässan trade fair and book your place at Underhållsmässan 2026 – Click here.