3D-printed tungsten tiles tested at DIII-D

[Marlin]

3D-printed tungsten tiles tested at DIII-D

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-11-05/article-8560/3dprinted-tungsten-tiles-tested-at-diiid/

[Core Content]

Researchers successfully tested 3D-printed tungsten tiles inside the DIII-D tokamak reactor. The components endured extensive plasma exposure during a multi-day testing campaign without sustaining major structural damage.

Manufacturing complex tungsten shapes has historically challenged fusion developers due to the metal's high melting point and brittle nature. Overcoming these fabrication barriers using electron-beam powder bed fusion allows facilities to deploy durable plasma-facing armor, advancing the development of commercial magnetic confinement reactors.

A team from North Carolina State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and JEOL has 3D-printed tungsten tiles for the inside wall of the DIII-D tokamak and tested them under plasma discharges with significant heat and particle flux.

Manufacturing tungsten: In fusion machines where plasma-facing components are subjected to intense heat loads and irradiation, a material is needed that can survive these conditions and transfer the thermal energy away from the machine. Tungsten has been considered a leading material for the job.

However, manufacturing tungsten into the required shapes can be difficult with traditional processes because of its ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and the high melting temperature that contributes to its usefulness for fusion applications.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-11-05/article-8560/3dprinted-tungsten-tiles-tested-at-diiid/