Project to harness AI and additive for viable parts from scrap

Led by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), this approach to additive manufacturing aims to ensure that essential components can be produced even in the most resource-limited environments.

The Rubble to Rockets initiative will apply a machine-learning approach to identify materials -such as scrap metal and mixed alloys - and understand how they react and bond together before being melted, mixed, and 3D-printed to form reliable new parts.

“This work is crucial as it allows us to build high-quality components from unknown source materials with new confidence,” said Associate Professor Danielle Cote, Harold L. Jurist ’61 and Heather E. Jurist Dean’s Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, and the lead researcher on the project.

“Our goal is not just to build a single solution but to create a framework that guides future innovations. By improving our predictions and understanding of material performance, we can pave the way for new advancements in additive manufacturing from diverse and unpredictable sources.”