The RusBeam 2800 is now India's largest electron-beam wire deposition 3D printer operating under vacuum. The machine was custom-built for India and is operated with software developed by Rosatom.
Russia's integrated nuclear power major Rosatom has entered the Indian space sector with the supply of its RusBeam 2800 industrial 3D printer to India Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The Fuel Division of Rosatom, which is developing the additive manufacturing business, has successfully commissioned the 3D printer based on Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing technology (EBAM) at the Indian space agency's facility.
The machine will be used to manufacture metal parts for India's aerospace industry, Rosatom said.
Additive technology manufacturing or 3D printing is a manufacturing process where an item is made layer by layer with the use of necessary material -- metal powder and others -- unlike the traditional casting, machining system which is subtractive technology, that is, removing unnecessary material from an already manufactured item.
The major advantage of additive manufacturing or 3D printing is that complex and intricate components or prototypes can be manufactured faster at a shorter time and with less material.
3D printing reduces component weight, optimises material usage and shortens production cycles.
Modern systems allow rapid reconfiguration for various materials, supporting applications from nuclear power and aerospace to medical devices.
Development and manufacturing timelines can be reduced from months to days with the usage of additive technologies.
According to Rosatom, the process is very compact -- eliminating the need for tooling, casting or milling -- and allows structural mass optimisation.
At the end-of-life stage, costs may be reduced by up to 90% due to minimal waste generation; materials can be recycled for a near-zero-waste process.
Complex parts that previously required multiple welded elements can now be grown as single pieces, with metal utilisation rates approaching 90% as only the necessary volume is deposited rather than machined from solid billets.
"Rosatom is making a pivotal contribution to the strategic technological partnership between Russia and India.
"Following the December 2025 summit of our leaders, Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi, their joint statement highlighted the prospects of cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy and space, including plans to deepen cooperation on non-energy nuclear applications and new non-nuclear products.
"We won this tender offering not only cutting-edge Russian hardware but also our technological expertise, materials, and service, all tailored to the customer's requirements.
"We are already in discussions with our Indian partners regarding further supplies, joint R&D in additive technologies, as well as potential localisation of equipment manufacturing in India," said Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom.
"The high deposition rate and vacuum-controlled environment of the EBAM machine from Rosatom represents a significant leap in ISRO's capability to fabricate large-scale, near-net-shape components from advanced titanium alloys, superalloys and refractory alloys," an ISRO official not wanting to be quoted told this writer.
"By integrating this critical technology, we can drastically reduce lead times for aerospace structures while ensuring the material integrity required for the extreme conditions of space.
"This strategic addition to our additive manufacturing portfolio will be a cornerstone in achieving the rapid prototyping and production goals essential for our future orbital infrastructure and deep-space missions like Gaganyaan, Bharatiya Antariksh Space Station and Chandrayaan missions," the ISRO official added.
The RusBeam 2800 is now India's largest electron-beam wire deposition 3D printer operating under vacuum, claimed Rosatom.
The machine was custom-built for India and is operated with software developed by Rosatom.
The printer can produce large-scale parts up to 2.8 metres in height and weighing up to four tones, including components with complex geometries.
The system's productivity is a key advantage: with a print speed of up to 50 mm/s, it can fabricate a 50 kg part within just five hours.
The printer is compatible with a wide range of refractory and reactive materials, including titanium, nickel and cobalt-chrome-based alloys.
Last year Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Manufacturing Business Unit at Rosatom, told this writer that the company was in talks for a 50:50 additive technology joint venture in India.
He also said Rosatom's Additive Manufacturing Business Unit has signed several multi-year framework dealer agreements for supply of additive equipment and materials, with a total value of approximately 1.5 billion roubles to Indian clients.
It may be recalled Rosatom is supplying six 1,000 MW nuclear power reactors to India.
Out of the six, two 1,000 MW power plants are operational and four more are under construction at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
And Rosatom is extending that relationship to other areas.
"We also think of producing the equipment and also metal powder in India.
"It will be a joint venture for Indian and also for the neighbouring markets," Kavelashvili then said.
Declining to name the Indian partner in the proposed joint venture Kavelashvili said: "It is a private company."
According to him, the two companies have decided to work out a roadmap for the project.
There will be transfer of necessary technologies for making in India.
The main thing Rosatom got to know from the Indian side is that the potential for additive technology is immense in India and there will also be support from the Indian government for the proposed project.
Rosatom is an integrated player in additive manufacturing.
The company makes metal powder of stainless steel, nickel, titanium alloy, aluminium alloy which are used in printing the components; develops the needed software for 3D printing and also develops the equipment and manufacturing of the needed products.
According to officials, the company also makes two-in-one printers -- it can print as well as weld.
Speaking further about the 1.5 billion rouble deal in India, Kavelashvili had said, "It is a broad dealership contract for supply of 3D printers, materials and gradually Rosatom would like to localise production in India."
Towards the latter goal, the company is in discussions with its Indian business partners for a joint venture.
Kavelashvili had also then disclosed that Rosatom will soon be sending its first large-format 3D printer to India.
He then declined to disclose the client's name which has now turned out to be ISRO.
Components made with additive technologies are basically used in high technology industries like nuclear, space, aviation, shipping, healthcare (implants, surgical instruments), power engineering industry, construction of concrete structures, prototype of art objects, architectural objects and others.
Rosatom also offers services like: 3D printing, topological optimisation of a component, 3D scanning, audit of enterprises for the implementation/optimisation of additive technologies, training and education, service maintenance of equipment, additive technology research and development and post processing.
Rosatom decided to look at 3D printing technology seven years ago and soon developed the capability to offer end-to-end solutions as in the case of nuclear power plant supplies.
Now it makes extensive use of it throughout its entire production ecosystem.
Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com