Oqton Wins ASTRO-InSPIRE Challenge for LPBF Inconel 718 Distortion Prediction

A Six-Way Contest Over Distortion

Predicting how a metal 3D printed part will warp before it is built is one of those problems that sounds solved until you try to scale it. At the 2nd Annual ASTRO-InSPIRE Tech Showcase in Destin, Florida, six software vendors went head to head on exactly that problem. Oqton came out on top, winning a challenge focused on distortion prediction and compensation in laser powder bed fusion of Inconel 718.

The contest was run by ASTRO America, the applied research organization, and FSU InSPIRE, Florida State University's advanced manufacturing hub. Competitors included some of the biggest names in engineering software: Ansys, Siemens, Dassault Systemes, Autodesk, and Cadence. Each was asked to predict the as-built distortion of a complex Inconel 718 part and propose a compensated model. The idea was to test production-ready tools against real parts of interest, not simple academic test coupons.

ASTRO America designed this challenge to separate research-stage tools from production-ready ones, said Sridharan Hariharan, Global VP of Sales and Customer Success at Oqton. That is exactly the bar our customers hold us to every day. That framing matters because distortion compensation is one of the most persistent barriers to using LPBF for qualified aerospace and defense production.

Why Inconel 718, and Why Now

Inconel 718 is a nickel-based superalloy used in jet engines, rocket components, and other parts that see high temperatures and stress. It is also notoriously difficult to print with LPBF because residual stress makes parts warp, crack, or come out of tolerance. Most manufacturers deal with this through trial builds, expensive post-processing, and conservative designs. Better prediction software could cut that waste dramatically.

The challenge is not just about writing a model that works on a small calibration build. Thermal behavior changes with geometry, part orientation, and machine. Heat treatment, support removal, and surface finishing all shift final dimensions too. That is why a benchmark using real industrial parts, judged by defense and aerospace evaluators, carries more weight than a research paper.

This competition is about more than selecting a winner, said Dr. Abdalla R. Nassar, Vice President and General Manager of ASTRO South. It is about identifying the tools, data, and technical confidence needed to scale additive manufacturing for critical, domestic production. The event also featured remarks from U.S. Representative Jimmy Patronis, who emphasized Northwest Florida's role as an aerospace and defense manufacturing hub.

What the Win Means for Oqton

Oqton's software platform is already positioned around automation and traceability for additive manufacturing. Winning this challenge gives it an independent benchmark to point to, which is valuable in a market where every vendor claims their simulation is accurate. Beating established simulation giants like Ansys and Siemens on a defense-backed benchmark is a serious signal.

FSU InSPIRE Executive Director Drew Allen framed the broader goal: bring major aerospace players, academia, government, and entrepreneurs together to fast-track production-ready solutions. That is the kind of cross-sector pressure that turns research demonstrations into actual factory workflows.

There is still a long way to go. One benchmark does not mean distortion compensation is solved across every machine and material. But for an industry that has been promising production-ready metal AM for years, a rigorous public test with a clear winner is a useful step forward. Oqton will take the trophy. The rest of the field will have to raise their game.