An artificial intelligence-powered software called Peregrine gives manufacturers a real-time window into the powder bed printing process — improving quality, reducing waste, and accelerating certification for complex parts in high-stakes industries.
Why it matters
From aerospace to nuclear energy, industries are turning to 3D printing to produce intricate, high-performance components. But without live monitoring, flaws are often only discovered after printing — slowing innovation and raising costs.
Real-world impact
Peregrine runs on more than 20 types of 3D-printing systems including laser powder bed, binder jet or electron beam melting technologies — and it works with just a high-powered desktop and an off-the-shelf camera. It was demonstrated in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Transformational Challenge Reactor program to help qualify the world’s first 3D-printed components for use inside a nuclear reactor.
The benefits
- Works across more than 20 types of powder bed printers
- Enables real-time monitoring and faster certification
- Reduces cost, waste, and post-production analysis time
- Operates on standard hardware with low computational demand
- Licensed by more than 40 academic, government and industry partners
The innovation
Researchers at DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, or MDF, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed Peregrine — an artificial intelligence tool that enables real-time, visual monitoring of powder bed printing systems.
How it works:
- Uses a standard camera and AI algorithm to scan every image of the print process
- Detects flaws such as uneven powder distribution, overheating, spatters, distortion, and porosity
- Alerts operators to problems immediately so adjustments can be made mid-print
Peregrine also helps trace flaws back to specific conditions, giving manufacturers unprecedented insight into process-performance relationships.
Backed by science
This research was funded by the DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, with support from DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy.
- Developed at the MDF
- Continues to evolve through research in digital manufacturing, material qualification, and data integration
Deep dive
Read ORNL’s story about the development of Peregrine and visit the MDF website for licensing information.
The big picture
Peregrine is laying the foundation for a future where every product is smart, traceable and born qualified.