The Snezhinsky Institute of Physics and Technology at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI has developed an innovative intelligent 3D printing control system that replaces the eyes of a human operator in the manufacture of metal products using additive technologies. The system has been successfully tested and is being prepared for implementation at Rosatom enterprises.

The system is software installed on a 3D printer working with metal or sand-polymer molds.; Using the printer's video camera, the system detects defects in manufactured products and makes adjustments to the printer or reports them to the operator (via messenger, computer, or in the printer's log). 

A certificate of registration has been received for the software. 

The project started a year ago as part of the Ural shift at Sirius, where a team of  (then)  schoolchildren  led  by  university teachers Alexander Pilshchikov, Nikita Teplykh and Alexander Gorbatov presented their idea. After winning the Sirius award, the project received a powerful boost from the University Accelerator of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI and Rosatom State Corporation, where the team attracted funding and brought the concept to a real, in-demand product. 

From December 16 to December 20, 2024, the system was successfully tested on a pre-production printer using SLM technology, manufactured by FSUE PSZ" (Trekhgorny), developed by the Additive Technologies business line in the Rosatom Fuel Division. 

During tests in real-world production conditions, the system has demonstrated the 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. 

A distributed interdisciplinary team was involved in the development, which includes students from various universities: Alexey Andreev, a student at the MEPhI Moscow site and an employee of Gazprom Bank, Mikhail Bobrov, an ITMO student, Alexander Boldyrev, a HSE student, and Fedor Bragin, a Yandex employee, under the guidance of Alexander Pilshchikov and Nikita Teplykh, teachers at the MEPhI Institute of Physics and Technology. 

Several products are being developed as part of the project., additive technologies in demand in the Russian market: 

• Basic version for integration into new printers (has been successfully tested and will be implemented on ROSATA printers); 
• A separate solution for installation on existing equipment (it is being tested at other sites, including on foreign equipment: a version is being developed that can work as an "observer" on any printers, even those that do not initially have this capability; 
• High-precision control system (has no analogues in the world, is at the stage of patenting): It provides the highest control accuracy and has already aroused serious interest among market participants.; The system will include a separate video camera and a computer and will be able to detect defects on a scale of 0.01 mm per pixel of the image. 
• The operator's portal is a software product that integrates all monitoring systems and provides centralized management of the site of additive technologies. 

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

It is planned that the developed solution will become a standard option for domestic industrial 3D printers, especially those used in industries with high demands on the quality of parts. 888 It is important to note that the cost of the system is a small part of the total cost of the printer, while its payback period is about six months, which makes the solution economically attractive to customers. 

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