Partnering with RYOKI TOOL to Advance Blanket Component Manufacturing for Fusion Power Plants

As part of the Helix Program Partnering Project, Helical Fusion has begun a new collaboration with RYOKI TOOL, a precision machining firm founded in 1967 and based in Aichi Prefecture, Japan’s leading region for advanced manufacturing. RYOKI TOOL has decades of experience in producing large-scale, high-precision components for the aerospace and automotive industries.

At the press conference on September 11, Helical Fusion Co-Founder & CEO Mr. Taguchi, RYOKI TOOL President Mr. Hara, and Aichi Prefecture Advisor Mr. Shibayama expressed their shared commitment to building a fusion industry that will “change the world.”）

This partnership focuses on the prototyping of blankets, key components for extracting energy in commercial fusion power plants. Blankets are responsible for energy conversion, fuel breeding, and reactor protection—but no fully deployable system has yet been realized globally. Helical Fusion is developing an original, maintenance-friendly blanket structure, with fabrication beginning in partnership with RYOKI TOOL.

This effort is supported by a JPY 40 million R&D grant from Aichi Prefecture, awarded through its Deeptech Launchpad acceleration program. The initiative reflects strong local government support for fusion commercialization and deep-tech innovation.

RYOKI TOOL’s expertise in machining hard materials and complex geometries makes it a critical partner in fusion engineering. In addition to this blanket initiative, RYOKI is already contributing to the development of precision components for our high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils.

Machining of the coil case prototype. A high-hardness material is carefully milled using a 5-axis machining center.

Prototype segment of the coil case for high-temperature superconducting coils. A complex three-dimensional helical shape has been precisely carved out.

The Helix Program continues to bring together partners from across Japan’s industrial landscape to build the fusion energy industry.