Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have created a new tool that can catch and correct potential mistakes in real time while 3D-printing large plastic parts.

The automated system could help U.S. manufacturers produce large, custom parts with fewer defects, potentially reducing waste, lowering costs, and strengthening domestic competitiveness in additive manufacturing—including 3D printing.

Large-scale 3D printing directs heated plastic composite through a robotic nozzle, arranging layers to form parts such as walls for the building industry, or aircraft wings and car bumpers for the transportation sector. There are many printing variables that control whether layers are hot enough to stick together yet firm enough to hold their shape, a manufacturing balancing act that requires constant supervision.

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