Download This Case Study in PDF
Executive Snapshot
-
Company: Antares
-
Industry: Advanced nuclear energy and defense
-
Challenge: Establish nuclear-grade quality and traceability from a blank slate, under high-stakes compliance requirements
-
Why Manufacturo: Unified system for documentation, quality, and production control — scalable for future regulatory and volume changes
-
Highlights: Deck management, buy-off control, personnel verification, nuclear-grade documentation, integrated quality and production workflows
-
Results: Full traceability from material to maintenance, compliant quality foundation, scalable backbone for future growth
-
What’s Next: Expand to complex assembly, field traceability, and decades-long lifecycle management
Customer Overview
Antares develops adaptable, deployable microreactors for defense, space, and mission-critical infrastructure.
Its advanced heat-pipe thermal management and compact reactor designs promise a new generation of reliable, on-demand energy for remote or harsh environments.
As Antares transitioned from design and testing to its first production cycle, it faced the challenge of establishing nuclear-grade quality and traceability, without legacy systems or historical infrastructure.
The Challenge: Starting from Zero, Meeting Nuclear Standards
Producing first-of-a-kind nuclear hardware means meeting standards that exceed most industrial programs: meticulous documentation, decades-long recordkeeping, and evolving compliance requirements.
Antares needed to:
- Control personnel actions and verifications
- Link documentation, NC tracking, and quality into a single, auditable record
- Ensure end-to-end traceability from raw material to reactor maintenance
- Support evolving safety standards without rework
- Scale from prototype production to serial manufacturing
Other MES options targeted high-volume manufacturing, lacking the buy-off, verification, and documentation rigor required for nuclear-grade work.
Fission microreactors
Why Manufacturo: One Platform for Quality, Control, and Scale
Antares selected Manufacturo for its integrated quality and documentation management, as well as its proven ability to evolve alongside production and regulation.
Key drivers:
Integrated quality and documentation (Deck Management)
Compliance-ready from day one
Personnel controls and verifications
Built-in approval logic for safety-critical steps
Unified platform
Quality, NC, and production in one system — minimal integrations
Flexibility for evolving regulation
Adaptable configurations without system overhauls
Scalable backbone
Ready for transition from R&D to serial production
Partnership in Practice: Implementation in Step with Production
Antares rolled out Manufacturo alongside its first production cycle, starting with documentation and quality workflows.
Integrations were introduced gradually — enabling rapid deployment and a smooth floor experience.
Key milestones:
- First component build (heat-pipe assemblies) completed in early 2024
- Work instructions linked to POs and receiving for auditable traceability
- Floor feedback loop established to improve technician usability
- Platform renewed after first year, confirming long-term confidence
”Manufacturo has given us a level of control and visibility that’s rare for a company at our stage. We were able to stand up a compliant quality program quickly and evolve it in step with production — without adding unnecessary complexity.”
From Requirements to Results
What Antares Needed
How Manufacturo Delivered
A compliant quality foundation
Built-in deck management, NC tracking, and documentation in one platform
Personnel and verification controls
Configurable buy-off workflows with role-based restrictions
End-to-end traceability
Linked material, documentation, and production history through each build
Minimal integrations
Deployed standalone, with phased connections to PLM and supply chain
Flexibility for evolving standards
Modular configuration to adapt as nuclear and defense frameworks mature
Controlled scale-up
Gradual process expansion with audit-ready evidence and clean user experience
Results: Control, Compliance, and Confidence
With Manufacturo, Antares has:
- Established a nuclear-grade quality system from day one
- Achieved full traceability across design, production, and documentation
- Integrated buy-offs and personnel controls for safety-critical actions
- Scaled production without complexity or risk
- Built a long-lifecycle foundation for decades of recordkeeping
Future Outlook: Scaling with the Mission
Antares’s partnership with Manufacturo continues as it transitions from early builds to field-ready reactors.
Next steps include:
- Expanding into complex assembly and quality workflows
- Extending traceability to as-built validation and field service
- Maintaining a single system of record for the reactor lifecycle
- Adapting seamlessly to new safety and compliance frameworks
“Our mission depends on absolute confidence in every component we produce. Manufacturo provides the structure and traceability that let us scale responsibly — ensuring each reactor we deliver meets the standards our customers and regulators expect.”
