Kairos Power automates pebble inspection and laser-codes every pebble for tracking
Victoria Shinder1 min readWorld Nuclear News reported on 14 October 2026 that Kairos Power has put into operation an automated quality-control and tracking system for fuel pebbles at its Manufacturing Development Campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
What the line does. Before pebbles are packed for transport or loaded into test platforms, the system measures each one in real time for diameter, physical geometry and density against manufacturing specifications. High-precision lasers then scan the exterior down to the micron to check structural integrity. Finally an infrared laser etches three unique data matrix codes — similar to QR codes — into the graphite surface, about half a millimetre deep, without compromising the shell. Each code links the pebble to a record of its exact dimensions, density, batch and inspection status.
Why it matters to Kairos. The data feeds downstream handling systems so engineers can follow pebbles through testing and operation. Over time, the company says, the markings will help tell pebble types apart, give more accurate fuel-consumption measurements and support material accountability during operations.
The reactor behind it. Kairos is developing the KP-FHR, a fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor that uses molten fluoride salt as coolant and pebbles of TRISO fuel. At the campus it currently produces solid graphite moderator pebbles and annular surrogate fuel pebbles.
Next steps. The system is processing pebbles for upcoming hardware demonstrations, with a near-term target of 70,000 inspected pebbles for test platforms including the company's second engineering test unit. It will also support the Hermes 2 power-producing unit, for which Kairos broke ground in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in April.
Source: World Nuclear News, "Kairos Power automates fuel pebble inspections" — https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/kairos-power-automates-fuel-pebble-inspections