Advancing Real-Time, Closed-Loop Additive Manufacturing
IoT, AI, and digital twin technologies are transforming metal 3D printing into a predictive, high-performance manufacturing system.
This metal 3D printing testbed pioneers real-time, AI-powered additive manufacturing for complex metal alloy parts. Focused on improving quality, traceability, and system control, it integrates next-generation technologies into a cyber-physical platform tailored for high-performance industries such as aerospace, defense, and medical manufacturing.
At the heart of the testbed is a first-of-its-kind Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printer, developed in the U.S. by DMG Mori. Equipped with an IoT connector and MTConnect interoperability, the system captures high-resolution controller and sensor data at gigabytes per second. This data streams into a high-performance computing (HPC) facility, where Generative AI models are trained to detect defects in real time, enabling process corrections and predictive analytics.
The metal 3D printing testbed links this AI insight back into the printing process through real-time feedback loops. A digital twin of the full manufacturing environment supports diagnostics, prognostics, and interoperability with enterprise systems such as PDM, PLM, and MES. By doing so, it creates a comprehensive digital thread and quality pedigree aligned with frameworks such as QIF.
Key innovations include closed-loop control, defect detection, microstructure optimization, and platform-agnostic standardization. This live, commercial-grade setup demonstrates market-ready applications, helping manufacturers reduce variability, boost quality, and future-proof operations.
The metal 3D printing testbed offers a repeatable blueprint for digital manufacturing transformation—advancing industry knowledge, shaping best practices, and validating next-generation production systems. The testbed contributes to industry advancement in the following ways:
Best Practices Development: Contributing to best practices for advanced manufacturing of complex material systems with intricate geometries and high-performance requirements, ensuring repeatability and scalability.
Industry Knowledge Advancement: Enhancing understanding and expertise in digital manufacturing by integrating IoT, AI, and digital twin technologies into additive workflows.
Market Relevance and Readiness: Showcasing the use of a commercial-grade metal 3D printing system to validate its practical application and readiness for deployment in real-world industrial environments.
Real-Time Digital Thread: Creating standardized methods to link data across platforms, enabling consistent outcomes, improved interoperability, and efficient communication throughout the manufacturing process.
Quality and Reliability Assurance: Supporting defense-oriented OEMs by improving the quality and reliability of both legacy and new designs, while generating a digital pedigree aligned with standards like the Quality Information Framework (QIF).
Innovation in Manufacturing Processes: Enabling real-time control, in-process defect detection, and process optimization that improve the microstructure and final properties of metal 3D printed parts.
Member, Lead Developers
