AI-Enhanced Additive Manufacturing: Intelligent 3d Printing for Complex Designs

Arpon Roy^1*, Md. Jobayer Ahmed ², Lipon Chandra Mondol³

AI-driven additive manufacturing empowers innovative, adaptive production of intricate parts with precision, reduced errors, and enhanced material efficiency.

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM), widely known as 3D printing, has transformed traditional manufacturing by enabling the production of complex geometries, reducing material waste, and supporting rapid, on-demand fabrication. However, conventional AM processes continue to face limitations such as defect formation, inconsistent part quality, and time-consuming design iterations. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into AM referred to as AI-enhanced additive manufacturing (AI-AM) offers a promising solution to these challenges. This review explores the convergence of AI and AM, focusing on how machine learning, computer vision, and generative design improve process reliability, adaptability, and efficiency. By synthesizing current research, it highlights how AI enables real-time monitoring, automated defect detection, and adaptive control of printing parameters, leading to reduced failure rates and higher-quality outputs. Furthermore, AI-driven generative design optimizes part geometry and material usage, allowing for the creation of intricate, performance-optimized components. Case studies from aerospace, automotive, and biomedical sectors demonstrate the tangible benefits and limitations of AI-AM systems. Findings indicate that AI integration enhances every stage of the AM workflow from design to fabrication paving the way for more intelligent, autonomous, and efficient production pipelines. As AI continues to evolve, its synergy with AM is poised to redefine the future of manufacturing, offering unprecedented capabilities in producing customized, functionally complex parts with superior precision and performance.

Keywords: Additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, 3d printing, generative design, defect detection.

References

Al-Maharma, A. Y., Patil, S. P., & Markert, B. (2020). Additive manufacturing of polymeric materials: A brief review. Materials Research Express, 7(12), 122001.

Ball, S., Ghayoor, M., Pasebani, S., & Tabei, A. (2021). Numerical modeling of additive manufacturing: A review. Procedia Manufacturing, 53, 343–350.

Bartlett, J. L., & Li, X. (2019). An overview of residual stress in metal additive manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing, 27, 131–149.

Bayas, E., Kumar, P., & Harne, M. (2023). Recent advances in 3D printing technology. European Chemical Bulletin, 12, 708–719.

Bozkurt, Y., & Karayel, E. (2021). A study on fused deposition modeling technique. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 14, 1430–1441.

Bouzaglou, O., Golan, O., & Lachman, N. (2023). Multi-material 3D printing using digital light processing (DLP) technology. Polymers, 15, 2280.

Carpenter, K., & Tabei, A. (2020). Thermomechanical behavior of metals in additive manufacturing. Materials, 13, 255.

Chaudhary, R., Fabbri, P., Leoni, E., Mazzanti, F., Akbari, R., & Antonini, C. (2023). Sustainable applications of additive manufacturing. Progress in Additive Manufacturing, 8, 331–344.

Cheng, Y., Xiao, X., Pan, K., & Pang, H. (2020). Novel functional materials for chemical sensing. Chemical Engineering Journal, 380, 122-565.

Chouhan, G., Bidare, P., & Doodi, R., & Murali, G. B. (2023). Advances in design optimization for 3D printing. In International Conference on Research into Design (pp. 233–244). Springer.

Duda, T., & Raghavan, L. V. (2016). 3D printing in medical applications. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 49(29), 103–108.

Gadagi, B., & Lekurwale, R. (2021). An overview of additive manufacturing in mechanical applications. Materials Today: Proceedings, 45, 277–282.

Gibson, I. (2015). Additive manufacturing technologies: 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and direct digital manufacturing. Springer.

Guerra, A. J., Lara-Padilla, H., Becker, M. L., Rodriguez, C. A., & Dean, D. (2019). Current perspectives on drug delivery via 3D printed scaffolds. Current Drug Targets, 20, 823–834.

Gul, J. Z., Sajid, M., Rehman, M. M., Siddiqui, G. U., Shah, I., Kim, K.-H., Lee, J.-W., & Choi, K. H. (2018). 3D printing for biomedical applications. Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 19, 243–259.

Gul, J. Z., Yang, B.-S., Yang, Y. J., Chang, D. E., & Choi, K. H. (2016). Fabrication of conductive structures using inkjet printing. Innovative Materials and Structures, 25, 115009.

Holtrup, R. (2015). XZEED DLP: A multi-material 3D printer using DLP technology. University of Twente.

Jiang, T., Yan, B., Jiang, M., Xu, B., Xu, Y., Yu, Y., Ma, T., & Wang, H. (2022). Structural materials for 3D printing. Applied Sciences, 12, 7373.

Karakurt, I., & Lin, L. (2020). Additive manufacturing: Current technologies, applications, and challenges. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 28, 134–144.

Khirotdin, R. K., Hassan, N., Yusof, U. A., & Mahadzir, M. A. (2017). Materials for additive manufacturing. Materials Science Forum, 889, 114–118.

Kortelainen, J., Leino, M., & Lehtinen, T. (2021). Smart additive manufacturing processes. International Journal of 3D Printing Technologies and Digital Industry, 5, 281–291.

Kumar, N. P., Patankar, V., & Kulkarni, M. (2020). Ultrasonic gauging and imaging of metallic tubes and pipes: A review. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria.

Li, H., Song, L., Sun, J., Ma, J., & Shen, Z. (2019). Ceramic materials in additive manufacturing. Advanced Applied Ceramics, 118, 30–40.

Liang, X., Chen, Z., Deng, Y., Liu, D., Liu, X., Huang, Q., & Arai, T. (2023). Biomedical engineering innovations using 3D printing. Cyborg and Bionic Systems, 4, 0009.

Malakizadi, A., Mallipeddi, D., Dadbakhsh, S., M’saoubi, R., & Krajnik, P. (2022). Digital process optimization in additive manufacturing. International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 179, 103908.

Mantihal, S., Kobun, R., & Lee, B.-B. (2020). 3D printing in food science. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 22, 100260.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (2024). Larry Hornbeck | Lemelson. https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/larry-hornbeck

Mamo, H. B., Adamiak, M., & Kunwar, A. (2023). Mechanical characterization of biocompatible materials. Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials, 143, 105930.

Mezzomo, L., Ferrara, C., Brugnetti, G., Callegari, D., Quartarone, E., Mustarelli, P., & Ruffo, R. (2020). Advances in materials for energy storage. Advanced Energy Materials, 10, 2002815.

Mohammed, J. S. (2016). Oceanographic sensors and applications. Methods in Oceanography, 17, 97–108.

Moomen, A., Ali, A., & Ramahi, O. M. (2016). Reducing sweeping frequencies in microwave NDT employing machine learning feature selection. Sensors, 16, 559.

Mostafaei, A., Elliott, A. M., Barnes, J. E., Li, F., Tan, W., Cramer, C. L., Nandwana, P., & Chmielus, M. (2021). Additive manufacturing of metals: Past, present, and future. Progress in Materials Science, 119, 100707.

Pandian, A., & Belavek, C. (2016). Integration of additive manufacturing in engineering education. In ASEE North Central Section Conference. American Society for Engineering Education.

Paral, S. K., Lin, D.-Z., Cheng, Y.-L., Lin, S.-C., & Jeng, J.-Y. (2023). Applications of 3D printing in polymer sciences. Polymers, 15, 2716.

Park, W. S., Lee, M. Y. G., Cho, H. S., & Leu, M. C. (1998). Intelligent systems in design and manufacturing. In Intelligent Systems in Design and Manufacturing. SPIE.

Prabhakar, M. M., Saravanan, A. K., Haiter Lenin, A., Mayandi, K., & Ramalingam, P. S. (2021). Mechanical properties of 3D printed composites. Materials Today: Proceedings, 45, 6108–6113.

Ramya, A., & Vanapalli, S. L. (2016). Application of 3D printing in the healthcare sector. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 7, 396–403.

Roberts, I. A. (2012). Investigation of residual stresses in the laser melting of metal powders in additive layer manufacturing [Doctoral dissertation, University of Wolverhampton].

Sakin, M., & Kiroglu, Y. C. (2017). The role of 3D printing in industrial applications. Energy Procedia, 134, 702–707.

Sames, W. J., List, F. A., Pannala, S., Dehoff, R. R., & Babu, S. S. (2016). A review of the metallurgy and mechanical behavior of additive manufactured alloys. International Materials Reviews, 61, 315–360.

Saptarshi, S. M., & Zhou, C. (2019). Clinical applications of additive manufacturing. In 3D Printing in Orthopaedic Surgery (pp. 17–30). Elsevier.

Seharing, A., Azman, A. H., & Abdullah, S. (2020). Modeling and simulation in AM. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 12, 168781402091695.

Srinivasan, D., Meignanamoorthy, M., Ravichandran, M., Mohanavel, V., Alagarsamy, S. V., Chanakyan, C., Sakthivelu, S., Karthick, A., Prabhu, T. R., Rajkumar, S., & Rambo, C. R. (2021). Hybrid composite structures in additive manufacturing. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2021, 1–9.

Stavropoulos, P., Foteinopoulos, P., Papacharalampopoulos, A., & Tsoukantas, G. (2019). Process planning in additive manufacturing. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 104, 1571–1587.

Tammas-Williams, S., Withers, P. J., Todd, I., & Prangnell, P. B. (2017). Fatigue performance of additive manufactured components. Scientific Reports, 7, 7308.

Vaezi, M., Chianrabutra, S., Mellor, B., & Yang, S. (2013). Multiple material additive manufacturing – Part 1: A review. Virtual and Physical Prototyping, 8, 19–50.

Walker, J., Zidek, T. T., Harbel, C. C., Yoon, S. S., Strickland, K., & Shin, M. M. (2020). Soft robotic actuators via additive manufacturing. Actuators. MDPI.

Wilson, T. (2022). Application of SLA 3D printing for polymers [Master’s thesis, The University of Akron].

Wong, K. V., & Hernandez, A. (2012). A review of additive manufacturing. International Scholarly Research Notices. Hindawi.

Yogesh, P., Richa, P., & Chandrashekhar, S. (2019). Hybrid additive manufacturing methods. In Advances in Additive Manufacturing and Joining: Proceedings of AIMTDR 2018 (pp. 179–187). Springer.

Zarek, M., Layani, M., Cooperstein, I., Sachyani, E., Cohn, D., & Magdassi, S. (2016). 3D printing of shape memory polymers. Advanced Materials, 28, 4449–4454.

Zhang, K., He, J., Han, L., Huang, Z., Xu, K., Cai, W., Wu, S., Jia, Q., Zhang, H., & Zhang, S. (2023). High-performance ceramics in additive manufacturing. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 43, 37–48.