With the arrival of resources such as ChatGPT and Dall-E, artificial intelligence (AI) is a widespread topic of discussion. But AI has been aiding additive manufacturing for years, to the extent that the applications are coming to seem pervasive. Stephanie Hendrixson and Peter Zelinski talk about the link between AI and AM, both as we see it today and as we expect to see it in the future. What AI and AM have in common is frictionlessness — in terms of offering instruction, as ChatGPT shows, and in the ease of starting production without need for hard tooling that 3D printing makes possible. What will we see as these two advancing technologies increasingly come together? 

Mentioned in this episode:

• Additive Manufacturing magazine issues on machine learning and artificial intelligence
• NNAISENSE defect prediction via machine learning from heat maps
• Argonne National Laboratory work correlating AM heat maps to X-rays of metal parts
• Castor AI analysis of parts suitable for 3D printing
• Army call for research into automating part identification for AM
• PrintSyst AI warnings and responses for parts that are not printable
• AI Build GPT-enabled software for programming slicing
• Inkbit applying AI to control high-speed material jetting with viscous polymer
• Markforged Blacksmith for AI-based build improvement for 3D printed parts
• Oqton AI-enabled management system for 3D printing facilities
• Paper by Heiden, Alieksieiev, Volk and Tonino-Heiden that discusses AI's application to distributed manufacturing
• Spokebee parameteric design of AM parts
• 3Shape dental imaging scanner able to recognize teeth and gums
• OpenAI Point-E for generating 3D models
• Material Resources Inc use of AI to develop control over metal microstructure
• ActivArmor 3D printed casts, soon to employ AI to improve treatment outcomes
• More about the advance of additive manufacturing in our newsletter, The BuildUp