The latest release from 3D printing giant Stratasys Ltd. is an open and enterprise-ready software platform. Named GrabCAD®, the Additive Manufacturing Platform would allow manufacturers to manage production-scale additive manufacturing operations.
The new solution is very timely as it takes life in an era where it is vital to take into account software-driven operational capabilities when looking to scale production via AM. These capabilities include the management of several 3D printers – sometimes at the same time and across multiple locations, the monitoring of output quality, automation of materials management, and integration within the broader enterprise.
“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,” said Nadav Goshen, Executive Vice President of Software for Stratasys. “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. This is an essential part of our vision to digitally transform manufacturing operations around the world.”
What does the GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing Platform consist in?
The GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing Platform integrates GrabCAD applications and third-party GrabCAD Software Partners via the GrabCAD Software Development Kit (SDK). It enables two-way connectivity between 3D printers, additive manufacturing and enterprise applications, and broader Industry 4.0 infrastructure. GrabCAD applications in the platform include:
- GrabCAD Print™: Simplifies the workflow between Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and 3D print preparation. GrabCAD Print is CAD-agnostic, uses best-in-class security protocols, and is managed on the desktop or mobile.
- GrabCAD Shop™: Cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) work order management application that simplifies the 3D printing workflow. All orders are managed in one location and are easily assigned to all networked printers, including Stratasys and non-Stratasys systems.
- GrabCAD Print Manager: A new application that enables manufacturers to manage fleets of industrial 3D printers. GrabCAD Print Manager manage licenses to software and open material partners and provides customers the ability to view and manipulate production print schedules and view in-depth reports via desktop or mobile. Additional admin and access control are on the way with more details expected to be announced in early 2022.
- GrabCAD Software Development Kit (SDK): Industry 4.0-ready SDKs provide API’s, documentation, code samples and support integration with enterprise IT as well as third-party applications for account management, asset management, planning and order management, security, quality management, and analytics.
In addition to Stratasys’ own GrabCAD applications, the platform is open to any software vendor that meets requirements such as references and performance testing, via an SDK licensing fee. Stratasys has added a dozen partners since the beginning of 2021 including AMFG, Teton Simulation and Link3D.
As of October 2021, the GrabCAD AM Platform consists of more than 38,000 application users, 20,000 3D printers, and 3,000 workflow users. The platform processes 35 gigabytes of data streams per day and is supported by a global team of more than 100 developers.
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