Formnext Connect begins today, and among the established exhibitors are five start-ups. These relatively new enterprises are the winners of the annual formnext start-up challenge.
I asked Addiguru CEO Shuchi “SK” Khurana to tell me about the company.
3DPI: What does your company do?
SK: Addiguru provides real-time monitoring solutions for additive manufacturing (3D-Printing) processes. Defects formed during the build process of a part can be difficult or costly to detect and repair after the part is already finished. Our monitoring technology determines defects in real-time using a novel combination of computer vision, artificial intelligence, and physics-based algorithms. As soon as defects are detected notifications are sent to inform the user who can make changes to easily repair defects and significantly reduce the high waste of failed prints in additive manufacturing.
Addiguru is attractive to users because we use affordable and off-the-shelf sensors. The software is designed such that it is installed, running, and providing value to the users in a couple of hours. Our pioneering technical approach focuses on using intelligent software instead of expensive sensors that cost more than $100,000 which some companies use. Also, Addiguru’s monitoring platform is machine brand agnostic and can easily incorporate different kinds of sensors and data making it flexible enough to appeal to a broader market. Finally, Addiguru’s system is built on an open architecture platform that can be easily incorporated into existing and newly developed powder bed additive manufacturing equipment.
3DPI: How does your company fit into the additive manufacturing ecosystem?
SK: We provide real-time monitoring technology for additive manufacturing.
3DPI: How would you describe the roadmap for your enterprise in the coming years?
SK: Addiguru has created an initial version of the product and the platform for real-time monitoring. There are currently three ongoing pilots with two others coming up in the next few weeks. Addiguru will further enhance the artificial intelligence model for different additive manufacturing processes by collecting data. Also, for fusion processes, Addiguru will use a novel InfraRed related technology to determine hot spots and lack of fusion spots with more accuracy. Fatigue life prediction, faster parameter generation, and close-loop monitoring are long term goals of Addiguru.
Addiguru’s long-term vision is to provide its software embedded into machines and as modules in other software. Embedded software will provide better value to the user, a company making parts using Additive Manufacturing. We are progressing with Open Additive and Authentise to integrate our software with their offerings. It is a step in the right direction towards realizing this open vision.
3DPI: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
We see additive Manufacturing being a huge component of rightsizing the supply chains and bringing manufacturing closer to our shores. We are doing our part to make this technology more efficient and scalable.
Improving defect detection will reduce the overall waste in the process and does improve sustainability for everyone using the additive manufacturing process and the related technologies.
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