An intelligent system has been developed to monitor the operation of 3D printers.

The system is a software solution that can be installed on a 3D printer working with metal or sand-polymer molds. Utilizing the printer's built-in camera, the system detects defects in the produced items and either makes adjustments to the printer's operation or notifies the operator (via messenger, computer, or in the printer's log). A registration certificate for the software has been obtained.

The project launched a year ago during the Ural shift at "Sirius," where a team of then high school students, guided by university instructors Alexander Pilshchikov, Nikita Teplikh, and Alexander Gorbatov, presented their idea. After winning at "Sirius," the project received significant support in the University Accelerator of NIAU MEPhI and the State Corporation "Rosatom," where the team secured funding and developed the concept into a real, in-demand product.

From December 16 to 20, 2024, the system successfully underwent testing on a pre-production model of the SLM technology printer, RusMelt 300, manufactured by FGUP "PSZ" (city of Trehgorny), developed by LLC "RosAT" (Rusatom – Additive Technologies). During the tests in real production conditions, the system demonstrated its ability not only to detect defects but also to automatically adjust printing parameters to eliminate them.

The uniqueness of the solution is confirmed by the preparation of a patent application. Currently, a distributed interdisciplinary team is involved in the development, consisting of students from various universities: the Moscow site of MEPhI, ITMO, HSE (former participants of the shift at "Sirius"), the Student Design Bureau of the SFIT NIAU MEPhI, which includes students and staff from the institute, as well as employees from Yandex and Gazprom Bank.

Within the framework of the project, several products are being developed that are in demand in the Russian additive technology market:

– A basic version for integration into new printers (successfully tested and will be implemented on RosAT printers);

– A separate solution for installation on existing equipment (currently being tested at other sites, including foreign equipment: a version is being developed that can operate as an "observer" on any printers, even those that do not initially have such capability);

– A high-precision control system (with no analogs in the world, currently in the patenting stage): ensures the highest accuracy of control and has already attracted significant interest from market participants; the system will include a separate camera and computer and will be capable of detecting defects at a scale of 0.01 millimeters per pixel of the image.

– An operator portal — a software product that integrates all monitoring systems and provides centralized management of the additive technologies section.

Notably, the system is fully compatible with domestic software (for example, Astra Linux) and can operate in a closed loop, which is critically important for many enterprises.

As a result of the tests, RosAT confirmed its interest in the product and initiated the procedure for purchasing non-exclusive licenses for the system. It is planned that the developed solution will become a standard option for domestic industrial 3D printers, especially those used in industries with high quality requirements for parts.

It is important to note that the cost of the system is a small fraction of the total cost of the printer, while its payback period is about six months, making the solution economically attractive for customers.

The creators of the product plan to reinvest the profits into the development of all mentioned areas, as well as further improvement of the system.