Stratasys
Stratasys GrabCAD Shop
Stratasys has launched a new work order management software which has been designed to help manufacturers streamline operations.
GrabCAD Shop is the latest addition to the Stratasys software portfolio and promises to enable greater efficiency when deploying 3D printing.
Stratasys says many of its customers, whether they be design firms, manufacturing companies or educational institutes, still lack an effective way of managing workflows, some relying on logs carried out on email, spreadsheets or even paper. Meanwhile, analysis conducted by the company suggested that approximately 15% of work hours in a ‘typical 3D print shop’ are used up tracking down work order requirements and manually communicating status updates to engineers, designers and operators. Thus, the company has sought to provide a platform that will help to better organise customer workflows.
The GrabCAD Shop system is cloud-based, requiring no IT implementation support, and is able to organise job requests, CAD files and project specs in the same space. Status updates are delivered on the platform and via email as jobs progress, while the platform is also pre-populated with Stratasys hardware and materials so users can implement, and benefit from, the platform immediately. Third party printers and traditional fabrication technology systems can also be added into the software.
“Today, communication of requirements between designers, engineers and shop operators is inefficient and lacks traceability. This results in a loss of productivity,” commented Paul Giaconia, Vice President of Product Software for Stratasys. “GrabCAD Shop streamlines 3D printing work order management so that shop operators can focus their valuable time on making and delivering parts to their end users.”
“We’ve switched over completely to GrabCAD Shop. Our previous print request process was a Word document, and no one liked filling that form out,” said Doug VanWaart, Print Manager for Schneider Electric, who took part in a private beta programme this summer. “GrabCAD Shop’s simple set-up makes it a lot quicker to create print orders and easier for me to manage them through the process. We also like how all the jobs are stored in the cloud so we can always go back reprint an old job if needed.”
GrabCAD Shop will be made commercially available in Q1 of 2020, after a free public beta which commenced last week.
