Stratasys unveils software platform for production-scale 3D printing

By Bruce Geiselman

3D printer maker Stratasys has introduced software that helps manufacturers transition from prototyping parts on 3D printers to production-scale additive manufacturing. 

The GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing Platform is an open and enterprise-ready platform that allows manufacturers to manage production-scale operations on both Stratasys and non-Stratasys 3D printers. 

During an Oct. 28 online press conference, company officials said manufacturers increasingly are interested in using additive manufacturing for producing end-use parts. However, a lack of software capable of managing large numbers of 3D printers across multiple locations while incorporating the ability to monitor output quality and material management has been a stumbling block. 

“Today, we will present to you what we have been working on over the last few years,” said Nadav Goshen, executive VP of software for Stratasys. “This is based on our experience working with customers where they transitioned their 3D printing solutions into manufacturing, and what we learned from these customers and through their journey is that we need a new software solution.” 

Traditional manufacturing software is not designed for managing digital 3D printing operations, he said. 

“Our mission at Stratasys is to take and enable customers to amplify their business transformation by scaling 3D printing into additive manufacturing,” Goshen said. “And when we looked into that area, we understood that there is a need for a new software solution because 3D printing for prototyping is very different than for manufacturing.” 

Stratasys’ GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing Platform is designed to meet the specific needs of additive manufacturing and incorporates the entire manufacturing process from design through production, while integrating with Industry 4.0 infrastructure and enterprise application software, which is designed to coordinate work across the manufacturing business. 

Stratasys decided to develop and sell GrabCAD because of a growing demand for more comprehensive additive manufacturing software, Goshen said. Research firm SmarTech Analysis projects that the total global additive manufacturing software market will grow from $500 million in 2020 to $3.3 billion by 2026. 

“We see manufacturers moving their 3D printing operations from the lab to the production floor, and that significantly increases operational requirements for everything from productivity to quality assurance,” Goshen said in a press release. “The GrabCAD AM Platform, our enterprise software stack specifically for 3D printing, can be a catalyst for the growth of the additive manufacturing software market. It enables customers to efficiently manage ever-larger and more complex operations to produce consistent, high-quality production parts at scale.” 

The GrabCAD AM Platform incorporates several applications, some of which have been under development for years. They include:  

• GrabCAD Print, which simplifies the workflow between “design for additive manufacturing” and 3D print preparation. 

• GrabCAD Shop, a cloud-based software-as-a-service work order management application that simplifies the 3D printing workflow. 

• GrabCAD Print Manager, a new application that allows manufacturers to manage fleets of industrial printers. 

• GrabCAD Software Development Kit, which allows third-party partners to integrate their own commercial and proprietary software into the GrabCAD AM Platform and Stratasys 3D printers.  

In addition to Stratasys’ own applications, the platform is open to any software vendor that meets requirements set by Stratasys and pays a licensing fee. 

Contact:

Stratasys Ltd., Eden Prairie, Minn., 952-937-3000, www.stratasys.com