# AI Update in Additive Manufacturing: Design, Process, Workforce and Industry impact

- Show: [Additive Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack)
- Published: 2026-03-04
- Length: 56m
- Episode: 28
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e60e0d19

## Summary

Duann Scott, founder of CDFAM and executive director of the 3MF Consortium, discusses the evolution of AI in additive manufacturing, moving from hype to practical tools like the Raven plugin for Rhino/Grasshopper. He highlights the critical need for high-quality training data, advocating for the 3MF format to capture metadata and toolpath information to enable surrogate models and material parameter transfer. Scott also outlines the upcoming CDFAM conferences in Barcelona, DC, and Tokyo, emphasizing cross-disciplinary innovation and government engagement.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=6) Introduction and AI Hype vs. Reality
- [3:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=231) Testing AI Design Tools and Data Gaps
- [7:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=435) Raven Plugin Breakthrough in Grasshopper
- [22:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=1334) Toolpath Optimization and Material Transfer
- [28:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=1685) The Role of 3MF Format and Metadata
- [35:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=2142) Synthetic Data and Industry Impact
- [44:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=2649) Workforce Shifts and Reshoring
- [47:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact#t=2842) CDFAM Conferences and Future Events

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- CDFAM (company)
- 3MF Consortium (company)
- Raven (product)
- Rhino (tool)
- Grasshopper (tool)
- Claude (tool)
- Google Gemini (tool)
- STL (other)
- Inconel (material)
- Ti64 (material)
- NASA (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Autodesk (company)
- PTC (company)
- Dassault Systèmes (company)
- DARPA (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S6E37 Duann Scott | Computational Design & The Best File Format for 3D Printing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-12-s6e37-duann-scott-computational-design-the-best-file-format-for-3d-printing) (Being an Engineer)
- [S2 E5: Rapid Prototyping Deep Dive with Greg Paulsen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2024-01-23-s2-e5-rapid-prototyping-deep-dive-with-greg-paulsen) (The Builder Circle)
- [Revolutionizing Everything, Even Manufacturing: The Transformative Power of AI with Emily Laird](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-18-revolutionizing-everything-even-manufacturing-the-transformative-power-of-ai-wit) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [S6E36 Tessa Axsom | Casting, Metallurgy, & Finishing with Fictiv](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-05-s6e36-tessa-axsom-casting-metallurgy-finishing-with-fictiv) (Being an Engineer)
- [What’s Next in Additive Manufacturing with Jeff Mize, CEO of PostProcess Technologies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-06-22-whats-next-in-additive-manufacturing-with-jeff-mize-ceo-of-postprocess-technolog) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-04-ai-update-in-additive-manufacturing-design-process-workforce-and-industry-impact. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Additive Snack.