en.Wedoany.com Reported - TVEL, the fuel division of Russia's Rosatom, has signed a memorandum of cooperation in additive technologies with Vietnam's state-owned oil and gas group Petrovietnam. The document was signed by Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of Additive Technologies at TVEL, and Fan Tu Ziang, Deputy General Director of Petrovietnam.

Additive technologies enable the production of components that are difficult to manufacture using traditional casting and machining. 3D printing technology can reduce product weight, optimize material usage, and shorten production time. Modern 3D printers can quickly reconfigure printing parameters to produce products from different materials, which are widely used in fields such as nuclear energy, space technology, and medicine.

The memorandum stipulates the construction of a modern additive technology center in Vietnam. Petrovietnam plans to use this center to improve operational efficiency by producing complex parts for drilling and pumping equipment through 3D printing, reducing production downtime with rapid prototyping. The introduction of additive technologies will also accelerate the repair and restoration of equipment and large products, reducing dependence on imported spare parts.

The project will be implemented in several stages, including a technical audit of the oil company's production processes by Russian experts, coordination of the center's configuration, and a list of additive equipment required to open the facility.

"Cooperation in the field of additive technologies is a promising direction for expanding the bilateral partnership between Russia and Vietnam," said Phan Thu Ziang, Deputy General Director of Petrovietnam. "A survey of promising sites for creating the center is planned for July this year, and the facility could open in 2027."

For TVEL, this project is not a one-time export transaction. Russian experts provide not only equipment but also a turnkey industry ecosystem, including scientific and technical support, raw material supply, and engineer training.

"We already have successful experience in exporting Russian additive technologies. The first foreign additive technology center of Rosatom has been opened in Belarus and is equipped with Russian equipment; a large industrial 3D printer for the aerospace industry has been delivered to India," said Ilya Kavelashvili. "In the future, we are prepared to consider localizing the assembly of 3D printers in Vietnam for further promotion to Southeast Asian countries."