3D printing is already being used to produce electric bikes, chocolate bars, and even human skin. Now, a new AI algorithm that learns each printer’s imprecisions can tweak print jobs to ensure greater accuracy.

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The engineers who developed the algorithm find it increases a 3D printer’s accuracy by up to 50 percent. That can make a big difference for high-precision industrial jobs, says Qiang Huang , an associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Southern California, who helped create it.

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Industrial 3D printers and additive manufacturing devices often use expensive materials, so the cost of throwing out prints that aren’t quite right can add up. For instance, it can cost hundreds of dollars in materials to 3D print a single airplane part. And some printers require seven to 10 drafts per job in order to fabricate an object that is accurate in […]

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