Stratasys, Siemens partner to bring 3D printing into volume production

In a bid to incorporate additive manufacturing into the traditional manufacturing workflow, Siemens is partnering with 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys to integrate Siemens’ Digital Factory offerings with Stratasys’ additive manufacturing solutions.

Stratasys and Siemens have been collaborating on multiple projects including the direct link from Siemens’ NX software for CAD/CAM/CAE to Stratasys’ GrabCAD Print platform – enabling a direct design-to-3D-print workflow – and the recently previewed Stratasys Robotic Composite 3D Demonstrator that incorporates Siemens’ product lifecycle management (PLM) software and its motion control and CNC automation technologies, to produce strong, lightweight performance parts.

“With our complete 3D printing ecosystem of customer applications, hardware and software platforms, advanced material offerings and consulting services, Stratasys is uniquely positioned to help manufacturers leverage 3D printing to transform their business models,” said Dan Yalon, executive vice president of products, Stratasys. “Stratasys is excited to formalize our partnership with Siemens and views it as a major catalyst for the industrialization of additive manufacturing. Together, our companies are joining forces to create a cohesive, best-of-breed technology foundation that enables large-scale manufacturers to enjoy the benefits of additive manufacturing in traditional production environments. We believe that the impact on production practices will begin sooner rather than later with the aerospace, automotive and factory tooling industries expected to benefit first.”

The two companies recently showcased their additive manufacturing solutions at the formnext 2016 exhibition that ran from Nov. 15-18 in Frankfurt, Germany.