Additive Manufacturing at SOLIDWORKS World 2017

By

SOLIDWORKS World is now well underway and has not disappointed with all the glitz and glamour you would expect from the event being so close to Hollywood.

Partnerships have contributed a large amount to the success of the SOLIDWORKS ecosystem since the early days and today that is no different. Take the world of 3D printing, for example. What usedto be known as Rapid Prototyping has matured to a point where it is becoming a viable method for production, referred to as Additive Manufacturing. With these new capabilities on offer, at SOLIDWORKS we have been working closely with a number of partners to make 3D printing for our users as easy as possible.

The best place to see this ecosystem of additive manufacturing partners is the SOLIDWORKS World Partner Pavilion. This year it has been the best ones yet with 20 3D printer manufacturers in attendance. The 3D printers you will see this year range from the super-fast Carbon Continuous Liquid Interface Production printer to the super strong continuous carbon fiber composite printer and the new metal printer from Markforged. Both companies, along with most 3D printer manufacturers, use SOLIDWORKS.

SOLIDWORKS World was also the chosen event for Stratasys to announce its GrabCAD Print add-in for SOLIDWORKS and its new F123™ printer series. Rize also chose to premiere its new RIZE™ One 3D printer this week at SOLIDWORKS World. With three of the leading 3D printing companies choosing SOLIDWORKS World to announce major new products, it’s clear that SOLIDWORKS and these companies are working hard to bring the best solutions to your desktop today and in the future.

Along with the awesome hardware, designing for additive was a large part of SOLIDWORKS World. Featured on main stage was another partner we have been working with closely, nTopology. Its technology for lattice and microstructure design will be inside SOLIDWORKS with an add-in currently being developed. Additionally, SOLIDWORKS World attendees have been flocking in great numbers to the Additive Manufacturing learning path sessions, which were all focused on design for additive processes and delivered by Stratasys, Carbon, Xometry, Renishaw and Ultimaker, with an additional session on techniques to adopt additive manufacturing from SOLIDWORKS Product Management and a panel discussion with all the presenters from the learning path.

Understanding how to optimize designs for additive manufacturing is the first and most crucial step. With so many different additive processes available, a great way to access them without the overheads is via a service bureau. Xometry helps with both of these with a SOLIDWORKS Add-in that not only instantly quotes but gives design feedback too.

So much in a short space of time and lots more to come from SOLIDWORKS and partners in the additive manufacturing space. If you are considering using additive manufacturing, you can count on the SOLIDWORKS ecosystem. And if you’re attending SOLIDWORKS World 2017, there’s still time to meet with SOLIDWORKS experts and 3D printing partners in the Partner Pavilion. In addition, don’t miss the Additive Manufacturing Panel Discussion on Wednesday at 2:45. Check your agenda or the SOLIDWORKS Mobile App for more information.

Mark Rushton

Mark Rushton is a Product Portfolio Manager for SOLIDWORKS and has been involved with 3D CAD and 3D Printing for over 15 years in several capacities from research to consulting for the likes of Rolls Royce, GE, JCB and Dyson. When not playing with 3D printers or other tech, he is most likely out snowboarding, wake boarding or mountain biking.