When 3D Printing and AI Learn to Explain Themselves (and Repair Things)
The University of Twente has just secured 13.6 million euros for two projects that will make 3D enthusiasts smile: from repairing industrial parts with additive manufacturing to developing an AI that reasons its decisions like a patient teacher. And the best part: they are not abstract theories, but practical solutions where digital design has a lot to say.
"Wondering why the software made that decision? Now it can explain it to you... without getting defensive" — Developer from the DECIDE project.
Add-reAM: the "Auto Shop" of the Future
This project turns 3D printing into medicine for industrial parts:
- In situ repair of damaged components
- Defined workflows with companies like Ultimaker and EOS
- Potential use of Blender/Maya for adaptive redesign
DECIDE: the AI that Comes with an Instruction Manual
It's not just artificial intelligence, it's understandable intelligence:
- Explains its decisions like a human (ideal for Houdini or renders)
- Multidisciplinary team: computer scientists, philosophers, and psychologists
- Applicable to parameter optimization in 3D software
Bonus Track: Art, Health, and Teenagers
The university is also working on:
- JUST ART: Climate art with social justice
- NanoMedNL: Medical nanotechnology
- STRONGER2GETHER: Adolescent mental health
Why Does This Matter to 3D Artists?
Because:
- 3D repair tools could integrate into DCCs
- Explanatory AI would help understand complex parameters
- It's a step towards ethical and transparent workflows
So there you have it: the future might be printing old parts with AI that explains why that hexagonal infill was the best option. And with coffee funded by European grants, which isn't bad at all ☕.