Fusion for Energy (F4E), in collaboration with Ansaldo Nucleare, Westinghouse, and Walter Tosto, has completed the manufacturing of Europe’s first vacuum chamber sector for ITER, the largest international fusion experiment.

At a ceremony held at Westinghouse’s industrial facility in Monfalcone (Italy), industry representatives and political authorities gathered to celebrate this impressive milestone for the ITER project.

The production of the sector marks the culmination of ten years of work, during which over 150 professionals, as well as at least 15 companies from across Europe with their respective teams, have collaborated directly.

F4E is the organization responsible for managing Europe’s contribution to ITER, which represents nearly half of the project. Along with its industrial partners, F4E has succeeded in creating a pioneering supply chain, supported by specialized knowledge and the ability to manufacture complex components for future fusion reactors.

In his speech at the ceremony, Marc Lachaise, director of Fusion for Energy, praised the spirit of cooperation among all parties.

“Europe’s first sector is the result of collaboration between F4E, the Ansaldo Nucleare consortium, Westinghouse, Walter Tosto, and the ITER Organization. Our commitment, teamwork, and innovative thinking have been the driving forces behind this impressive achievement,” he stated.

He also added, “This success is a testament to European technical expertise in engineering, which we can be proud of, and proof of our determination to harness the potential of fusion energy. ITER is also crucial in boosting Europe’s competitiveness and raising the bar in the manufacturing industry.”

The vacuum chamber can be described as a giant double-walled vessel that will contain the fusion reaction. Its design will provide a clean environment, preventing dust, air, liquids, and impurities from entering the chamber.

Thanks to a set of powerful superconducting magnets surrounding the vessel, the plasma will float without touching the walls.

The ITER vacuum chamber consists of nine sectors. Europe will deliver five of them, while the Republic of Korea will provide the remaining four. The component has a diameter of 19.4 meters, a height of 11.4 meters, and weighs approximately 5,200 tons. It meets the strict safety standards set by the French Nuclear Safety Authority to operate safely.

The shape and size of the vacuum chamber present their own challenges. Each sector contains around 150 km of welding seams.

All factories, teams of technicians, metrology experts, engineers, and quality control technicians continuously inspected the production to minimize risks.

In total, more than 20,000 hours of machining and at least 100,000 hours of welding were required to produce Europe’s first sector.

Two of its segments (1 and 4) were manufactured at Westinghouse’s facility in Monfalcone, while the other two (2 and 3) were produced at Walter Tosto’s center in Chieti. Afterward, the segments were assembled and welded.

The sector left Italy in September and is currently loaded onto a huge trailer to be transported to the ITER site. The remaining four sectors from Europe are in the production phase and will be delivered in the next two years.