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Phys.org — Technology · September 15, 2026

AI-powered inspection system gives 3D printers 'a brain behind the eyes'

Materials ScienceMechanical Engineering
THE AI ANGLE
Segmenting in situ print images to measure deposited filament dimensions

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed an on-machine inspection system using cameras and machine learning to monitor direct ink writing 3D printing layer by layer. The system segments images to measure filament diameters within micrometers of manual methods, operating roughly 100,000 times faster than human analysis. This layer-wise evaluation allows early defect detection and spatial quality mapping, reducing material waste and bypassing the size and cost constraints of post-build X-ray computed tomography.

THE TEACHING ANGLE
Instructors can contrast traditional offline quality assurance, such as X-ray CT, with in situ, layer-by-layer ML inspection to examine how real-time metrology changes failure analysis and tolerances in additive manufacturing.

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