Markforged
Markforged Blacksmith AI
Markforged has announced an artificial intelligence (AI) software which automatically adjusts programming to ensure accurate additive production.
Blacksmith is set to be commercially available to users of Markforged’s Metal X and X7 machines later this year and efforts will be made to connect all manufacturing and inspection systems in a customers’ factory.
The software is said to create a continuous feedback loop to produce each 3D printed part as it has been designed, cutting waste and reducing time to market in the process. Designs are analysed, compared to scans of the part, and the process is automatically modified to build the parts as they were intended. Blacksmith is also a continuous learning platform, adapting to changes during the process throughout the use of the production machine, and improving part by part.
Markforged believes the Blacksmith AI tool will be ‘particularly powerful’ as the adoption of metal additive manufacturing grows, serving to ensure the production process is repeatable and accurate.
“For the last hundred years, machines have been unaware of what they’re creating and would happily waste millions of dollars producing out-of-spec parts. We’re going to fix that by connecting the machines that make parts, and the ones that inspect them, with a powerful AI,” commented Greg Mark, CEO of Markforged. “Much like the way Tesla is building autopilot for cars, we are building an autopilot for manufacturing.
“3D printing is just the start. We plan to extend the Blacksmith AI to connect all machines in your factory. We will enable the first generation of machines that know what they’re supposed to make and can adjust themselves to produce the right part every time.”
Markforged is showcasing its additive manufacturing technology at RAPID + TCT in Detroit from Booth #207.
