Documentation

Everything needed to run, extend and audit the platform.

Getting started, reference, runbooks, the autonomy model, the CLI and the platform limits. The documentation describes the design; sections marked design preview will change before release.

First hour Developer guide

Getting startedReferenceRunbooks

run_7c2e4b · agent graph · PBF-2 · scenario 10 nodes · 1 approval gate
01 · orchestrator ingest.job ✓ SUCCEEDED 02 · parttwin twin.simulate ✓ SUCCEEDED 03 · prep_parameter prep.release ✓ SUCCEEDED 04 · recoat_powder recoat.check ✓ SUCCEEDED 05 · melt_layer melt.stabilise ✓ SUCCEEDED 06 · thermal_distortion thermal.compensate ✓ SUCCEEDED 07 · orchestrator approve.human ◆ APPROVAL 08 · robot_handling handle.depowder ✓ SUCCEEDED 09 · defect_inspect inspect.ct ✓ SUCCEEDED 10 · quality_conf release.qualify ✓ SUCCEEDED

Illustrative scenario: PBF-2 · Ti-6Al-4V bracket family, 24-part build, 23 of 24 parts released, one held

Getting started

First hour

From an empty printer-edge node to a shadow-mode run.

  1. Install the floor-edge runtime. A Jetson Orin node with the Powdrix runtime image, inside the plant network, next to the printer.
  2. Connect read-only sources. Melt-pool and layer cameras, photodiode and thermal streams, printer state, CT and MES, all read-only.
  3. Define the part family. Load the part spec: alloy, density target, geometry tolerance, acceptance criteria, qualified parameter envelope.
  4. Create an agent at L1. Declare its tools read-only and let it watch and recommend.
  5. Start a shadow run. Observe the run record, the tool-call stream and the reasoning trace against the live build.
Developers

Define an agent, bound it, run it

The Powdrix SDK is typed Python. Tools are declared with schemas, a qualified parameter envelope and limits, and the policy engine enforces them at call time, not in a review meeting. This is a design preview; the API will change before release.

What you get

  • Typed tool definitions with a qualified parameter envelope and per-layer rate limits
  • Deterministic replay of any historical build against a new model
  • Local twin harness so a recipe is simulated before it is released
  • Autonomy policy as code, versioned and reviewed like any other change

Read the docs Developer guide

pbf2_melt_agent.py 
# Design preview. Bound the melt-pool agent to printer PBF-2.
from powdrix import Agent, Tool, Envelope, Autonomy

power = Tool(
    name="printer.trim_power",
    tags=["PBF2.LASER_POWER", "PBF2.SCAN_SPEED"],
    envelope=Envelope(qualified="BRK-TI-A", max_step="3%", per="4 layers"),
)

melt = Agent(
    id="agent.melt_layer",
    goal="density >= 99.7%, lack_of_fusion_risk < 0.2",
    tools=[power, Tool("holoscan.fuse", read_only=True)],
    # bounded writes inside the envelope; humans gate anything outside it
    autonomy=Autonomy.L3,
    # check the move against the twin before it is written
    verify="twin",
)

run = melt.start(printer="PBF-2", job="J-4471")
for step in run.stream():
    print(step.layer, step.name, step.status)
Reference

Reference sections

What each section of the reference covers.

Agents

Definition and lifecycle

Agent, goal, tools, autonomy, verify, start, stream, replay.

Tools and envelopes

Connectors with schemas

Parameter naming, units, read_only, Envelope(qualified, max_step, per, floor, ceiling).

Policy

Autonomy as code

Levels, approval routing, qualification conditions, part-family scoping, versioning and review.

Runs

The run record

Steps, status values (queued, running, waiting, approval, succeeded, failed, blocked), layers, durations, outcomes.

Genealogy

The build record

Fields, export formats, retention, qualification evidence packets.

Twin

Simulation API

twin.simulate, candidates, targets, ranking objectives, as-built comparison, scenario generation.

Run timeline · scenario

Reading a run record

Every Powdrix run is an ordered, inspectable sequence. This is run_7c2e4b on PBF-2 · Ti-6Al-4V bracket family, 24-part build. Scenario completes in 10 steps with one approval gate. Twin recipe #14 selected, one lack-of-fusion precursor at layer 1,872 cleared by a bounded power trim, CT triage in 11 minutes, 23 of 24 parts released with full genealogy and one held for review.

run_7c2e4b PBF-2 · Ti-6Al-4V bracket family, 24-part build illustrative scenario SUCCEEDED
  1. 01 ingest.job SUCCEEDED 0.7 s

    Floor Orchestrator · Pulled the job from AM MES: 24 Ti-6Al-4V brackets, 60 µm layers, 3,140 layers, density target 99.7%, geometry tolerance ±0.10 mm, AS9100 evidence packet required. Locked the OEM-approved parameter envelope for PBF-2.

  2. 02 twin.simulate SUCCEEDED 6 m 12 s

    Part Twin · Simulated 40 candidate orientation, support and parameter recipes for thermal field, residual stress and distortion, ranked on predicted density, geometry deviation, takt and energy.

  3. 03 prep.release SUCCEEDED 48 s

    Prep-and-Parameter · Recipe #14 released: 32° orientation, lattice supports on two faces, laser power and speed inside the qualified envelope. Predicted distortion 0.06 mm, predicted density 99.8%.

  4. 04 recoat.check SUCCEEDED continuous

    Recoat-and-Powder · Recoater image checked every layer. Powder lot L-2291 on its third reuse, humidity in window. One short-feed at layer 412 corrected with a dosing increase before the next layer fused.

  5. 05 melt.stabilise SUCCEEDED continuous

    Melt-and-Layer · Melt-pool, photodiode and thermal streams fused at 120 fps. Lack-of-fusion risk rose to 0.61 on part 17 at layer 1,872 and was cleared by a 3% power trim inside the envelope within four layers.

  6. 06 thermal.compensate SUCCEEDED 2 m 04 s

    Thermal-and-Distortion · Interlayer temperature on the tall brackets ran 14 °C above the twin's prediction from layer 2,300. A 1.5 s interlayer dwell held the thermal field inside the predicted band through the top section.

  7. 07 approve.human APPROVAL 4 m 30 s

    Floor Orchestrator · Melt-and-Layer proposed a hatch-spacing change on part 17 beyond the qualified envelope. Held for the AM process engineer, who declined it and chose to flag part 17 for CT priority instead. Decision logged.

  8. 08 handle.depowder SUCCEEDED 38 m

    Robot-and-Handling · Plate unloaded by the handling cell on build complete, depowdered, and parts transferred to stress relief. Powder returned to the sieve with lot L-2291 reuse count incremented in genealogy.

  9. 09 inspect.ct SUCCEEDED 11 m

    Defect-and-Inspect · 24 CT volumes segmented for pores, cracks and lack of fusion in 11 minutes. 23 parts graded accept against the acceptance criteria. Part 17 shows a 180 µm indication at layer 1,870 and is routed to the inspector for disposition.

  10. 10 release.qualify SUCCEEDED 1 m 20 s

    Quality-and-Conformance · 23 parts released with the full genealogy: recipe, layer tags, melt-pool events, thermal trace, approvals, post-processing cycles and CT result. Part 17 held with a non-conformance opened. Evidence packet assembled for sign-off.

Tool calls · scenario

Reading the tool log

Every tool invocation, argument and result is written to an append-only, human-readable log, and every reasoning step is expandable. Nothing about a build is hidden from the floor or from the certification engineer.

tool-call stream · run_7c2e4b · timestamps span a 31-hour build
  1. 05:10:04mes.read_job({ printer: "PBF-2", job: "J-4471" })
  2. 05:10:05ok 24 parts · Ti-6Al-4V · 3,140 layers · envelope locked
  3. 05:10:05twin.simulate({ candidates: 40, targets: ["density", "geometry", "takt"] })
  4. 05:16:17ok best recipe #14 · distortion 0.06 mm · density 99.8% · takt 31.2 h
  5. 05:16:18policy.evaluate({ recipe: 14, autonomy: "L3" })
  6. 05:16:18ok recipe inside envelope · 6 bounded writes permitted
  7. 05:16:19printer.release_recipe({ id: 14, orientation: 32, supports: "lattice" })
  8. 05:17:07ok build started · layer 1 of 3,140
  9. 06:02:40recoat: short feed at layer 412 · dosing +4% applied
  10. 13:48:11precursor: lack-of-fusion risk 0.61 · part 17 · layer 1,872
  11. 13:48:12printer.trim_power({ part: 17, delta: "-3%", layers: 4 })
  12. 13:49:03ok risk 0.61 → 0.08 · pool stable
  13. 13:49:04approval.request({ action: "hatch_change", part: 17 })
  14. 13:53:34ok declined by AM process engineer · part 17 flagged CT priority
  15. 18:21:50printer.set_dwell({ interlayer: "+1.5 s", from_layer: 2300 })
  16. 18:23:54ok thermal field inside predicted band
  17. 12:20:30isaac.plan_grasp({ task: "unload_plate", cell: "RC-1" })
  18. 12:58:30ok depowdered · 24 parts to stress relief · lot L-2291 reuse 4
  19. 14:05:02ct.segment({ volumes: 24, criteria: "BRK-TI-A" })
  20. 14:16:02ok 23 accept · 1 indication 180 µm · part 17 → inspector
  21. 14:16:03packet.sign({ job: "J-4471", parts: 23, hold: [17] })
  22. 14:17:23ok scenario complete · 23 released · 1 NCR opened

Reasoning trace

Plan, thought, action, observation, exactly as the orchestrator would record it.

GoalRun job J-4471, 24 Ti-6Al-4V brackets on PBF-2, to 99.7% densi…

Run job J-4471, 24 Ti-6Al-4V brackets on PBF-2, to 99.7% density and ±0.10 mm, with an AS9100 evidence packet on every released part.

PlanSimulate the recipe on the twin first. Release only inside the…

Simulate the recipe on the twin first. Release only inside the qualified envelope. Watch recoat and melt pool every layer, compensate thermally against the twin, and route anything outside the envelope to the process engineer. Triage every part by CT before release.

ThoughtThree candidate recipes beat #14 on takt but predicted distort…

Three candidate recipes beat #14 on takt but predicted distortion above 0.08 mm on the tall brackets. Takt is not worth a geometry failure on a qualified part family. Recipe #14 wins on the stated targets.

Actiontwin.simulate(candidates=40) returns recipe #14: 32° orientati…

twin.simulate(candidates=40) returns recipe #14: 32° orientation, lattice supports, power and speed inside the envelope, predicted distortion 0.06 mm.

ObservationLack-of-fusion risk 0.61 on part 17 at layer 1,872. A 3% power…

Lack-of-fusion risk 0.61 on part 17 at layer 1,872. A 3% power trim, inside the envelope, clears it in four layers. The proposed hatch change would leave the envelope, so it goes to a human and is declined.

ActionFlag part 17 for CT priority. Hold interlayer dwell at +1.5 s …

Flag part 17 for CT priority. Hold interlayer dwell at +1.5 s from layer 2,300 to keep the thermal field inside the twin's band.

ObservationCT confirms a 180 µm indication on part 17 at layer 1,870, two…

CT confirms a 180 µm indication on part 17 at layer 1,870, two layers below the precursor. The other 23 parts grade accept. The precursor, the action and the CT result are now one linked record.

OutcomeScenario complete. 23 parts released with full genealogy, part…

Scenario complete. 23 parts released with full genealogy, part 17 held with a non-conformance, CT triage in 11 minutes, no unapproved parameter left the envelope.

Operations

Runbooks

What to do when.

Runbooks
SituationWhat happensWhat you do
Edge node offlineControl returns to the printer controller and the standing recipeCheck the node, restore, resume at the current autonomy level
Model version fails canaryAutomatic fallback to the previous validated version on that machineReview the evaluation record before re-promoting
Approval not answeredThe step waits; the build continues on the standing recipe and never times out into a writeNamed approver or delegate decides in the console
Move would leave the envelopeBlocked by the policy engine and routed to a humanDecide in the console; the decision is logged
Deadlock between agentsEscalates to a human rather than resolving by timeoutDecide in the console; the decision is logged
Rollback condition metThe parameter returns to its previous valueReview the trigger signal and the run record
Autonomy

Four levels, set per agent and per machine

A qualified floor does not go from manual to unattended in one step. Powdrix makes the level explicit, auditable and reversible at any time, and human approval for anything that affects qualification stays mandatory until validation exists. The first release runs shadow mode, then assist mode, then graduated autonomy.

Autonomy levels and the human role at each
LevelWhat the agent doesWhat the human doesWhere it sits in a pilot
L1 · AdvisoryPredicts and recommends, with citations; nothing is writtenEnters every change manuallyShadow mode on one machine, first weeks of a pilot
L2 · SupervisedProposes a parameter, thermal or inspection move; it executes on approvalApproves each move in the review consoleAssist mode once accuracy is measured against CT
L3 · BoundedWrites inside the OEM-approved parameter envelope and per-tag limitsApproves anything that leaves the envelope or affects qualificationGraduated autonomy on low-risk loops, if the floor is satisfied
L4 · UnattendedRuns the envelope without promptingSets the envelope; reviews the shift recordPlanned; only after validation on the part family
CLI

Start a build from anywhere

The same run engine, the same policy checks, the same audit trail, from the terminal, the review console or the SDK. Design preview.

powdrix · cli · scenario 
$ powdrix run "build J-4471 on PBF-2" --autonomy L3

→ plan composed          10 steps · 1 approval gate
→ twin.simulate          40 candidates · best #14 · distortion 0.06 mm
→ policy.evaluate        recipe inside envelope · 6 bounded writes permitted
→ executing              prep.release ....... ok   48s
→ executing              recoat.check ....... ok   layer 412 dosing +4%
→ executing              melt.stabilise ..... ok   layer 1872 power −3%
! approval required      hatch_change part 17 · outside envelope
→ declined               AM process engineer · part 17 → CT priority
→ executing              inspect.ct ......... ok   24 volumes · 11m
→ scenario complete      23 released · 1 NCR · genealogy complete

$ powdrix builds show run_7c2e4b --format genealogy
Limits

Platform limits and defaults

Design targets. None is a measured figure.

Platform limits and defaults
ItemDesign targetNotes
Alert latency, in-situ monitoringp95 under 250 msJetson Orin at the printer
Bounded assist recommendations1 to 2 sIncludes policy and envelope evaluation
In-situ streams per printer30 to 240 fpsMelt-pool, layer, recoater; DeepStream and Holoscan
CT triage per production buildUnder 15 minutesTriton on L4, L40S or A100 class GPUs
Model updatesWeeklyGated shadow to assist to bounded
Synthetic scenarios1,000 to 10,000 per qualified part familyValidated against real CT and in-situ data
Edge nodesOne Jetson Orin per printer and cellJetson Thor planned for multi-laser machines
Guardrails

An agent that can trim laser power needs a leash

Powdrix writes to production printers that make qualified parts. Every capability is scoped to the qualified envelope, every write is policy-checked, and every action is written to an append-only audit log the floor owns.

  • Bounded action space. Each agent writes only to an explicit allow-list of printer, oven and cell parameters, inside the OEM-approved envelope and per-tag rate and magnitude limits.
  • Policy engine before every write. Autonomy level, part family, qualification status, machine state and operator presence are evaluated before a parameter moves.
  • Human approval for qualification-impacting actions. Anything that leaves the qualified envelope, changes a validated recipe or affects a part's disposition waits for a named approver. This stays mandatory until validation exists.
  • Immutable audit log. Append-only and exportable. Every action records model version, data lineage, source signals, predicted impact, allowed range, approval status and qualification impact.
  • Hard fallback. Loss of the edge node, the network or a model returns control to the printer's own controller and the standing recipe.
  • Tenant and IP isolation. Parameter sets, part geometry, defect libraries and process memory never cross a customer boundary. On-prem deployment is available for sensitive producers.

Compliance posture

ItemScopeStatus
SOC 2 Type ICloud control plane QUEUED Planned, first 6 months
SOC 2 Type IICloud control plane QUEUED Planned, 6 to 12 months
SSO and RBACConsole and approvals QUEUED Planned, 6 to 12 months
AS9100 and ISO 13485 assurance packagesEvidence packets and model change control QUEUED Planned, 6 to 12 months; not a certification claim
Standards-cited reasoningAS9100, ISO 13485, ASTM F42, ISO 52900 RUNNING In the design, every answer cites its source
Per-tenant isolation and on-prem optionRecipes, geometry, models, memory RUNNING In the design from day one

Read the security overview

FAQ

Straight answers

The questions operations directors, process engineers and certification engineers ask in the first meeting.

Only inside the OEM-approved parameter envelope, only on an explicit allow-list with per-tag limits, and only at the autonomy level your floor has set. Level 1 is advisory: Powdrix predicts and recommends and a human enters everything. Design partners start there, in shadow mode. Anything that leaves the envelope or affects qualification always waits for a named approver.

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Documentation beyond this page opens with the design-partner cohort.

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