A new foundation model from the company Backflip AI makes creating 3D models based on 3D scans a lot easier. These models can then be produced using a 3D printer or CNC machine.
Backflip AI is a company that focuses on AI-driven technology for designers and engineers. The company's design software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to turn text, drawings and photos, among other things, into 3D models. This should not only simplify but also speed up the design process.
The startup was founded by Greg Mark and David Benhaim. They previously founded Markforged, the US company behind additive manufacturing platform The Digital Forge. This platform allows metal and composite parts to be printed directly on the factory floor. In doing so, The Digital Forge uses AI.
Foundation model
So now Mark and Benhaim are also the driving force behind Backflip AI. This startup recently announced a new foundation model. This is an advanced AI model designed to perform a wide range of tasks, without the need for any specific modifications or training for each one.
Foundation models are usually large and trained on huge amounts of data. This enables them to understand natural language, generate text, analyse images and make decisions independently.
What does the model do?
"Today, if a part breaks unexpectedly in a manufacturing plant and shuts down a production line, a maintenance team needs to act quickly to get things back up and running. Production lines consist of tens of thousands of unique parts and it is impossible to stock an entire spare factory," Backflip AI reported in a press release.
If a replacement part is not available at short notice, this part should be produced as soon as possible. In practice, this means manually measuring the part to create a 3D CAD model. Then, based on this model, the part can be produced. Such a process quickly takes several hours, which can cause downtime for a factory.
Backflip AI wants to accelerate this. The foundation model now released by the startup plays an important role in this, speeding up the design of the 3D model needed for this using AI.
Plugin for SOLIDWORKS and web app
In addition to the foundation model, Backflip AI also announced two new tools that use the foundation model. These are a plugin for SOLIDWORKS that translates 3D scan data into a 3D model and a web app that converts 3D scans into parametric CAD files. "3D scanners image the surface of an object with great accuracy, quickly generating millions of data points. However, they produce micro-surface textures that cannot be fabricated with traditional tools. Our technology automatically converts these complex surfaces into clean geometries designed for existing 3D CAD and manufacturing software," explains Greg Mark, CEO and co-founder of Backflip.
The 3D model created by the SOLIDWORKS plugin is customisable where necessary. For this, the plugin shows all the steps in the design process. Users themselves can make changes to these steps and thus further fine-tune the model. Also, through the insight it provides, the tool helps new users gain a better understanding of how the part was created. This, according to Backflip AI, reduces the learning curve for 3D design.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
