UK-Israel partnership to develop AI for additive manufacturing

Funded by Innovate UK and the Israel Innovation Authority, the collaborative innovation project will combine the many 3D printing data sources (captured by DNA.am’s Manufacturing Execution System), with Printsyst’s patented 3D printing AI engine; to develop an AI and deep-learning solution that enables global aerospace manufacturers to improve productivity and scale-up their 3D printing operations.

According to Hoover’s Research (2018), the aerospace additive manufacturing industry is forecast to reach a value of $20.9 billion by 2024.

Tom Dawes, CEO of DNA.am’s parent company Valuechain, believes focusing on AM productivity is a critical enabler to unlocking this growth potential.

Mr Dawes commented: “Aerospace companies continue to invest heavily in AM plant, but are yet to implement smart solutions that optimise plant and resource efficiencies. Driving AM productivity and generating tangible return on investment has to be the priority for the AM ecosystem.

“By combining DNA.am’s streamlined data capture and aerospace traceability with Printsyst’s AI optimisation engine, we are confident that our integrated solution will standardise best practice processes for growing companies and accelerate AM adoption in the aerospace sector and other highly regulated sectors.”

Printsyst CEO Itamar Yona added: “In our experience, AM organisations are unfamiliar with best practice AM workflows and the many parameters required for 3D Printing optimisation, such as geometry, material or which AM technology to select. So, when they’re creating a new AM build, it will often take several attempts before reaching a version which is a real fit for purpose, resulting in a very expensive and time-consuming process.

“Through our strategic partnership with DNA.am and Valuechain, we will create an integrated solution that learns from previous AM builds and analyses exact intent for which the part is going to be used to comply with industry specifications, and suggest printing parameters that will have the highest probability of right-first-time AM builds. Our solution will accurately estimate AM component costings and eliminate need for trial and error, which will ultimately transform AM productivity through improved quality, cost and delivery responsiveness.”

DNA.am and Printsyst will showcase the prototypes for this project at Formnext from 19-22 November.

Valuechain www.valuechain.com