Materialise
Materialise announces additions to CO-AM platform
Materialise has announced updates to its CO-AM Quality & Process Control (QPC) system in a bid to take additive manufacturing quality and process control ‘to the next level.’
This latest software advancement, announced ahead of Formnext 2023, will enable AM users to track, monitor, analyse, and correlate all data critical to part quality. It interconnects AM data sources such as 3D models, raw materials, process parameters, in-situ process monitoring, post-processing, and quality inspection, which can be monitored at different stages of product development, from research to production.
The QPC system is part of the Materialise CO-AM software platform, which gives manufacturers access to software tools from Materialise and CO-AM partners to plan, manage, and optimise each step of the 3D printing process using one platform. Earlier this year, Materialise introduced the first QPC Layer Analysis module, a software to analyse and correlate layer data from the 3D printing process. The QPC Layer Analysis module has been further developed to include more in-situ process monitoring data sources and to correlate its results with CT scans. Materialise says the new QPC Process Lab module fosters collaboration between different teams to centralise research and production data in a structured way.
Furthering its software collaborations, Materialise has announced a partnership with Ansys to optimise simulation for Materialise Magics users, helping to drive down costs and improve efficiency. Ansys’ simulation technology, Ansys Additive Suite, has been introduced into Magics data and build preparation software to provide fast simulation, and lower the complexity of applying simulation results to build preparation. In future, Ansys and Materialise plan to explore further opportunities for simulation in the AM process.
“We look forward to supporting our customers with Ansys technology,” says Karel Brans, Senior Director Partnerships at Materialise. “Simulation is a key element for metal 3D printing to improve cost-efficiency. Ansys and Materialise will work together to integrate simulation technology even further into the AM workflow and offer unparalleled connectivity.”
Furthermore, Materialise is also announcing a further collaboration with DigiFabster, a cloud-based SAAS quoting automation and e-commerce solution for advanced manufacturing companies. DigiFabster’s eCommerce portal, automated quoting and costing, and payment automation will be integrated into the Materialise CO-AM software platform. The fully white-labeled eCommerce portal uses machine learning to help manufacturers automate their quoting process. The CO-AM integration enables streamlined management of order data in CO-AM's Order Management System to help manufacturers keep track of orders and give instant status updates to their customers.
“It’s time to prioritise customer experience in B2B, especially when enabling AM service bureaus,” shares Pieter Hens, Senior Partner Manager at Materialise. “Integrating DigiFabster’s solution into CO-AM closes the gap between front-end and back-end.”
