CEIT paves the way for the nuclear fusion industry

Nuclear fusion is considered one of the most promising energy solutions for the future, often referred to as the “holy grail” of energy due to its safety and the virtually inexhaustible availability of resources. However, a key challenge for the development of this technology lies in the manufacturing of large components with extremely complex geometries—a challenge addressed by the Rodas project, led by a consortium of two groups:

The CDTI group, headed by Leading Metal Mechanical Solutions, and made up of Hyperbaric, Rovalma, Innomaqu21, and Novadep NDT Systems, and the AEI (State Research Agency) group, led by the CEIT technology center, together with Ciemat, the Idonial Foundation, and the University of Granada.

While the AEI group is responsible for research, material development, manufacturing process optimization, and component validation, the CDTI group will focus on industrial application, advanced manufacturing, and full-scale technology validation. This combination of scientific knowledge and industrial expertise will ensure effective transfer of research breakthroughs to the market.

The Rodas roadmap is structured around three key areas: materials, manufacturing, and testing. This includes the development of new alloys such as Eurofer and CuCrZr, the implementation of additive manufacturing techniques like PBF-L, DED, and WAAM, the hybridization of processes, and diffusion bonding (HIP-DB) to enhance component quality and strength while reducing costs and construction times. Advanced non-destructive testing methods such as computed tomography and ultrasound will ensure the integrity of components without damaging them.

CEIT’s Role

The CEIT technology center will focus on advanced manufacturing technologies, particularly additive manufacturing and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) to produce multi-material components of large size and high complexity. CEIT is also working on hybrid manufacturing technologies to enable efficient and sustainable joining of metal components using multiple advanced manufacturing techniques, which may be implemented in the future as repair technologies.

These efforts are complemented by the development of new grades of powder metallurgy steels, specifically designed for nuclear fusion. These materials will be applicable both in the production of large-scale components and in future repair operations.

The project is expected to stimulate the industrial ecosystem, by enhancing companies’ capabilities and positioning them strategically within the science industry sector.