Process Parameter Prediction for Fused Deposition Modeling Using Invertible Neural Networks

Additive manufacturing has revolutionized prototyping and small-scale production in the past years. By creating parts layer by layer, a tool-less production technology is established, which allows for rapid adaption of the manufacturing process and customization of the product. However, the geometric freedom of the technologies comes with a large number of process parameters, especially in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), all of which influence the resulting part’s properties. Since those parameters show interdependencies and non-linearities, choosing a suitable set to create the desired part properties is not trivial. This study demonstrates the use of Invertible Neural Networks (INN) for generating process parameters objectively. By specifying the desired part in the categories of mechanical properties, optical properties and manufacturing time, the demonstrated INN generates process parameters capable of closely replicating the desired part. Validation trials prove the precision of the solution with measured properties achieving the desired properties to up to 99.96% and a mean accuracy of 85.34%.