On 27 August 2026, during a visit to Russia, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Dr. Mahmoud Esmat toured Rosatom’s Moscow Additive Technologies Centre, where he saw how industrial 3D printing can help countries produce complex components and spare parts locally, shorten supply chains and reduce dependence on imports.
The visit highlighted a model that could be relevant well beyond Egypt: fully operational additive technology centres combining production, engineering expertise, training and, eventually, local equipment manufacturing.
The technology has already been used to produce components for demanding industrial applications. Among the products previously demonstrated by Rosatom is a spacer grid for a nuclear fuel assembly: a highly complex structure traditionally requiring months of manual work can be 3D-printed in just 10–11 hours. Rosatom has also demonstrated a one-piece anti-debris filter for a next-generation fuel assembly, replacing a conventional design made up of 55 separate parts with a single seamless component.
Head of Rosatom’s Additive Technologies business Ilya Kavelashvili stressed that the company’s core export value lies not in standalone hardware sales, but in delivering fully operational additive technology centres tailored to local markets. “Such a centre functions both as a service bureau and a training hub, while also laying the groundwork for future local equipment production. Ultimately, it catalyses the emergence of a national additive manufacturing sector,” he noted.
The industrial value of additive manufacturing goes beyond replacing conventional production methods. For complex or low-volume parts, 3D printing can eliminate tooling, casting and much of the machining normally required, while enabling designs that are difficult or impossible to manufacture conventionally. As a result, industries can respond much faster to equipment failures and urgent demand.
Commenting on the visit to the Moscow Additive Technologies Centre, Dr. Mahmoud Esmat emphasised: “Additive manufacturing technologies offer promising opportunities to support local manufacturing, develop the production of components and spare parts, and enhance the efficiency and sustainability of supply chains.”
President of TVEL JSC (part of Rosatom group) Natalia Nikipelova pointed to an established cooperation track record with Egypt, particularly in nuclear fuel supply for the ETRR‑2 research reactor in Inshas, and highlighted the upcoming milestone of fuel delivery for El Dabaa’s VVER‑1200 reactors in 2027. “Additive technologies open a promising non‑nuclear avenue for expanding our partnership, building on existing trust and technical alignment,” she highlighted.
Following the visit, Rosatom’s Fuel Division and the Executive Authority overseeing Nuclear Power Plant Construction Projects in the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed a joint statement of intent on cooperation in establishing an additive technology center in Egypt. The discussions also covered the progress of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant and plans for a potential desalination complex, reflecting the expanding scope of Rosatom-Egypt cooperation.
For Ethiopia, additive manufacturing could build on an emerging domestic ecosystem already exploring 3D printing in construction and automotive manufacturing. In housing, large-scale 3D-printing systems are being demonstrated as a way to produce homes in days or weeks rather than the months or years associated with conventional construction, with significantly lower labour requirements. Also, Addis Ababa University research has examined the adoption of additive manufacturing for auto-parts production, highlighting its potential to reduce lead times, manufacture complex spare parts on demand and reduce reliance on imported components. The technology could also help address healthcare needs. Researchers have identified 3D printing as a cost-effective way to expand access to prostheses, making them faster to produce, easier to customise and potentially more affordable. Continued development of additive manufacturing could help Ethiopia strengthen local production, reduce dependence on imported components, respond faster to demand and open new opportunities across industry and healthcare.
