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On average, 15% of the time in your 3D print lab is wasted on order management. Yes, you heard that right, 6 out of every 40 operating hours in the work week gets devoted to tracking down orders, managing files, and communicating with file creators. That is over seven weeks a year where productive time is not being devoted to part production. This isn’t the fault of the hardworking individuals in your print lab. It is the result of the available production management software tools not being tailored to the needs of 3D printing labs…..until now.

When it comes to additive manufacturing there are many different types of technology that can be used. On the spectrum of 3D printing, voxel printing technology is probably as far away from filament strands and vats of goo as you can get. Voxel printing allows users to actually program the product material and its viscosity on a microscopic level. This results in both incredible control over color for visually stunning results and incredible control over material properties allowing for new and exciting composite materials. In this blog, we'll look at what Voxel printing is and how it is currently helping engineers who are embracing this technology.

Frequently, when producing parts to print on full-color PolyJet 3D printers (like the J55 and J850), we have the need to place logos and icons on our models. When using more traditional means of applying pixel-based graphics or decals on parts can have unpredictable outcomes when exporting for 3D printing. Often, we find it difficult to properly set the resolution of the logo to match the part, which results in logos that have blurry or pixelated edges. In this 3D Printing Video Tech Tip, we talk about how to create sharp-edged logos and icons using SOLIDWORKS.

Stratasys recently announced an integration between GrabCAD Print from Stratasys and KeyShot 3D rendering software from Luxion Inc. This seamless integration accelerates the CMF modeling process with a smooth and quick export of 3MF files. In this article, we will introduce you to KeyShot and the benefits you can expect to see from this partnership. 

Having spent a great deal of my time over the last decade working in various design, CAD, CAM and additive manufacturing software tools, I am always grateful for features that save time and improve the ability to get to my desired outcome. With the year coming to an end, there is no better time than now to reflect and present the top 10 features I am thankful for in GrabCAD Print.

The Objet30 series of 3D printers is known for providing the power of PolyJet technology in a desktop-sized system. This makes them ideal for any office or studio space that needs to provide detailed prototypes while keeping their workforce and intellectual property in-house. Stratasys recently announced multiple updates to the Objet30 3D printer series with exciting new materials options, faster workflow and a fresh look in their latest generation: the Objet30 V5. 

You thought GrabCAD print was just for assigning your print parameters, didn’t you? Well, it is so much more. Buried under that sleek, easy-on-the-eyes interface is a very powerful piece of software. GrabCAD Print doesn’t just help you assign part attributes, it can also alter part geometry.

After receiving some questions from customers about a recent Video Tech Tip I produced that involved installing heat-set inserts into a part, I wanted to dive more into adjusting hole sizes for hardware like inserts or even thru bolts. In the following video, I will show you how to change the diameter of a hole directly within the GrabCAD Print environment.

During the product development lifecycle, an industrial designer will create multiple versions of a product in various finishes, textures and colors. Using the new .3MF file format, we can apply a texture in a CAD program, such as SOLIDWORKS, and save the file in a format that retains that texture and can be used for 3D printing.

Have you ever sat and stared at your printer while it hums away making your part and thought to yourself “What if I could print my part at different resolutions based on the level of detail in a certain area of the part?” Well, good news, this is now a reality. If you didn’t think that, then I hope you are asking yourself “why didn’t I think of that?” Now, with the most recent update to GrabCAD Print, select Stratasys FDM machines have the option to utilize a new feature called Adaptive Slice.

In this Video Tech Tip, we go over some easy ways to add strength to your FDM parts in GrabCAD Print. GrabCAD allows users to effectively add strength to certain areas without using excess materials.

Working remotely is more common than it used to be. Many companies have implanted this policy throughout a couple of years and designers, engineers and manufacturers are some of the positions that have transitioned into this way of working. In this 3D printing Tech Tip, we go over GrabCAD Workbench and how to use it to coordinate and monitor your printing jobs remotely.

When 3D printing, you can sometimes run into issues trying to work with extremely thin features. Most of the time, good design practices can help to fix these issues. Two GrabCAD tools, the Thick and Thin Wall command and the Variable Width Fill command aid in resolving these issues more efficiently, leaving you with a sturdy, high-quality design.
In this video, Application Engineer Ricky Shannon demonstrates just how to utilize these built-in tools on a multi-bodied SOLIDWORKS part using a straight 3D CAD file.