Russia Uses Rosatom’s Nuclear Tech to 3D-Print Medical Tools

For the first time worldwide, 3D printing with heat-resistant alloys has been used to produce equipment for treating urological conditions.

Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom is pushing the boundaries of innovation—not just in energy, but now in healthcare. Engineers at Tomsk Polytechnic University, supported by Rosatom, have used a 3D printer to manufacture specialized tooling for making complex components of medical devices.

The tools are used to produce urological extractors—delicate wire baskets used to capture and remove stones during treatment of gallstone disease. The use of heat-resistant alloy 3D printing marks a global first for this application.

Compared to conventional manufacturing, the new method is 10 times faster and cuts production costs in half. The first shipment will be delivered to hospitals in Kaluga, Omsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Nadym, Perm, and other cities across Russia.

Rosatom says it’s ready to apply its engineering expertise in other fields as well, signaling broader ambitions to integrate nuclear-born technologies into Russian industry.