The Best Additive Manufacturing Software

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Bluestreak Screenshot

Bluestreak

★★★★★
★★★★★
(15)
Bluestreak MES software is a cloud based manufacturing execution system that offers QMS capabilities. It automates key product decision processes, helping to minimize product delays, scrap, and rework. The system integrates with existing ERP/MRP systems. Bluestreak is effective in managing, tracking, and documenting compliance specifications for various sectors, including aerospace and automotive.
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Starting Price
$600/month
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Infor CloudSuite Industrial Screenshot

Infor CloudSuite Industrial

★★★★★
★★★★★
(5)
Infor CloudSuite Industrial (formerly SyteLine) is renowned in manufacturing for its strong bill of materials features, customizable reports, and modern design. The ERP’s key components include advanced planning and scheduling, supply chain management, accounting, and quality assurance.
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Starting Price
$25,000/user (perpetual license)
Client OS
Windows, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
MaterialCenter Screenshot

MaterialCenter

MaterialCenter is a materials lifecycle management software that helps link the material specialists to mechanical simulation. MaterialCenter works best with complex materials such as alloys, elastomers, plastics, composites, and other products found in additive manufacturing or 3D printing environments. MaterialCenter has become a single point of entry for all materials related activities such as test data entry, materials modeling, approval workflow, and export of simulation ready data to
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
On-Premises
E2 Shop System Screenshot

E2 Shop System

The E2 Shop System enables shop owners to effectively control all aspects of shop activity, while simultaneously and effectively managing profitability. Whether it’s your front office or shop floor that you’re concerned about, the fully integrated E2 Shop System takes the uncertainty out of shop management. Development of the E2 Shop System dates back to 1984. Our shop specific software was developed from an actual shop experience, real-life shop situations, shop know how and shop needs. Both
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Starting Price
$4,995 (perpetual license)
Client OS
Windows, macOS, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Materialise Streamics Screenshot

Materialise Streamics

Streamics from Materialise is an additive manufacturing management system. It integrates with various 3D print solutions to deliver features like automatic nesting, build data storage, and machine monitoring. The software supports digital rights management, ensuring secure production and protecting designs.
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
On-Premises
SYSPRO Screenshot

SYSPRO

★★★★★
★★★★★
(15)
SYSPRO is a major developer in the ERP world. Since 1978, it’s built a solid reputation in the manufacturing and distribution sectors. SYSPRO is an ERP software designed for discrete manufacturing and mixed-mode operations.
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Starting Price
$199/user/month
Client OS
Windows, Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
SAP Digital Manufacturing Screenshot

SAP Digital Manufacturing

SAP Digital Manufacturing is a manufacturing execution system (MES) providing real-time data and analytics of your manufacturing floor. The software executes manufacturing processes, analyzes manufacturing and business data, and integrates systems based on Industry 4.0. SAP Digital Manufacturing is designed to track and enhance manufacturing performance, improve visibility and reporting consistency, gain faster and more consistent insights, improve visibility into manufacturing processes, adapt
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Starting Price
$112/unit/month
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud Hosted
FactoryLogix Screenshot

FactoryLogix

★★★★★
★★★★★
(1)
FactoryLogix is an MES software known for its strong capabilities in traceability, work-in-progress (WIP) tracking, and quality metrics. The system helps reduce waste through lean materials management and also features live scheduling and capacity planning. This MES offers paperless document control and integrates effectively with various types of automated build and test devices. The software can also provide real-time data and automated reports like WIP tracking, root cause analysis, and production yield.
Client OS
Windows, iOS, Android
MIE Trak Pro Screenshot

MIE Trak Pro

MIE Trak Pro lets you run your manufacturing business through a modern workflow, robust capabilities, a connected supply chain, and enhanced teamwork. The solution is used by job shops, metal fabricators, and others in similar industries to improve their production processes. Video Overview ; Features Quoting Estimating ;; Sales Order ;; Work Order ;; Scheduling ;; Purchase Order ;; Inventory ;; Quality ;; Data Collection ;; Kiosk ;; and Invoicing and Accounting ;. ; Industries Served ; and
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Starting Price
$5,000/user (perpetual license)
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
IQMS (DELMIAWorks) Screenshot

IQMS (DELMIAWorks)

In manufacturing, your money is made on the shop floor. That is why accurate, real-time visibility into your production and factory floor is a critical component of the modern manufacturing environment.
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Client OS
Windows
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Hydra X Screenshot

Hydra X

★★★★★
★★★★★
(3)
HYDRA X, previously known as HYDRA MES, is an advanced Manufacturing Execution System (MES) designed by MPDV that goes beyond the traditional scope of MES by integrating support processes such as intralogistics and operator guidance in complex assembly processes. It’s made to continuously monitor, control, and optimize production. This allows for more efficient utilization of company resources. HYDRA X’s platform-based nature allows for easy extension in terms of functionality. HYDRA X also helps in reducing scrap rates, optimizing labor utilization, and ensuring traceability in production processes.
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Client OS
Windows
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Epicor Advanced MES Screenshot
Epicor Advanced MES is a manufacturing execution system designed for a range of industries, including aerospace, electronics, and medical devices. It provides real-time data visualization and analysis through reports and dashboards, which are crucial for monitoring performance and making informed decisions. The software also focuses on quality management, production definition, and monitoring, ensuring efficient production processes and quality control. Epicor Advanced MES focuseson statistical process control (SPC) and statistical quality control (SQC) so businesses can maintain high-quality standards and customer satisfaction. Additionally, its energy monitoring and digital twin applications offer modern tools for sustainability and data visualization.
Client OS
Windows
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
Traceability Made Easy Screenshot

Traceability Made Easy

TME (Traceability Made Easy) is a cloud-based software solution that provides customers with Asset Management & Reconciliation, Tracking & Genealogy, Inventory/Warehouse/Spare Parts Management, Maintenance Management, Work Order Management, MES/MOM, and Quality Management from a unified, integrated suite. The software has been constructed to allow customers to deploy the technology either modularly to address a single or subset of applications or in total to provide full lifecycle management.
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Starting Price
$500/month
Client OS
Web
Deployment
Cloud or On-Premises
ALERE Manufacturing Screenshot

ALERE Manufacturing

ALERE Manufacturing is designed specifically for order driven and make-to-stock manufacturers. It includes all the day-to-day functionality that you might expect in a sophisticated manufacturing package. What you might not expect are the carefully designed “extras” that make it work in your environment. Modifiability The state-of-the-art architecture of ALERE Manufacturing is written using Microsoft tools, such as SQL and VFP, uses object oriented programming (OOP), and is table driven. This
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Client OS
Windows

We searched and searched, but we couldn’t find any products in our database that match your criteria. Perhaps our team of software experts can help? They’d be happy to provide a list of free the best additive manufacturing software recommendations that meet your exact requirements.

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Buyer’s Guide

What is Additive Manufacturing Software?

Additive manufacturing software, or AM software, enables successful 3D printing jobs by preparing all work, optimizing designs, minimizing design to manufacturing lead times, and reducing the total cost of operations through minimal print time and material consumption.

Additive manufacturing software takes CAD data and prepares and optimizes that data for a 3D printing process. The preparation process includes optimization techniques, building proper supports to prevent build failures, simulations of various build methods, establishing the best printing strategies, calculating scan-paths, arranging the final build, and sending to print. Managing the workflow of an additive manufacturing process is also a core part of additive manufacturing software, as it helps your business oversee order turnaround time and maximize machine utilization rates.

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, is a process that allows you to create physical three-dimensional objects directly from a computer design file. Additive manufacturing software lets you try out various designs and test the printing of these parts at the end of the design cycle. The most common materials used in additive manufacturing include polymer composites, metals, ceramics, foams, and gels.

Examples of products made with additive manufacturing software include smaller products such as apparel and jewelry, and even larger-scale products such as automobiles and houses. More commonly, manufacturing environments are 3D printing replacement parts for machinery and prototyping new products via molds and jigs. These techniques can help create new bodies of existing products and run “what-if” scenarios at a far lower-cost than physically building a product via subtractive methods and putting it to use.

MaterialCenter CAE applications Additive Manufacturing Software
MaterialCenter can integrate with CAE applications.

Features of Additive Manufacturing Software

  • Computer-aided design (CAD): Build a 3D model of the desired end-product using various parts and specifications.
  • Simulation: Use topology optimization and lattice structures to discover a material layout that can be optimized within a given design space, using specific loads, boundary conditions, and constraints.
  • Job Management: Monitor which 3D printing jobs have been ordered, which are printing, which are ready to be shipped, or on-hold. View the cost of each job, the expected time, and the materials needed to produce.
  • Quoting: Provide a quote or estimate for a specific additive manufacturing order.
  • Manage Orders: View the manufacturing jobs currently on order and any pending shipments for needed materials to complete the job such as alloys, elastomers, plastics, composites.
  • Build preparation and machine planning: Plan out the use of all available machines at varying times throughout the day to maximize throughput. Improve machine planning by ensuring the workers, machines, and needed materials are available during the scheduled build time.
  • Material batch management: Manage the quantity of material produced during a production run. Ensure proper material is kept in stock to complete production runs. Ensure manufacturing orders remain cost-effective by batching together similar manufacturing jobs.
  • Post-processing: Ensure orders are moved along in the supply chain and shipments are created and sent to the appropriate party for processing and distribution.
Materalie Streamics Build Preparation Additive Manufacturing Software
Create build-preparation views in Materialise Streamics.

Benefits of Additive Manufacturing Software

Since the inception of additive manufacturing, companies have found more affordable ways to implement it’s benefits. This also means that training options for AM software and using available 3D printing methods are becoming more easily accessible. AM also has the benefit of helping to reduce waste and save on energy costs. Some of the top benefits of additive manufacturing software include:

Compare Material Properties and Store Test Data

A key benefit of additive manufacturing software will be selecting the correct material to build your product. Most AM software will help you compare material properties by running a series of tests. This helps you test out different factors and scenarios, such as stress tests or the total cost of production, which can help you consider, compare, and weigh all options.

How a product functions, it’s stability over time, the durability of the product, it’s final appearance, and the economics of creating the product are all things that the manufacturer can look into with additive manufacturing software.

Given the complexity of certain additive manufacturing methods (in comparison to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods), AM software can provide data on the most efficient design methods for your given product and resources. This data can in-turn be analyzed to discover which manufacturing technique, AM process, or AM principle will work best for your operations.

Additive manufacturing software requires this level of data analyzation due to the different ways that AM processes handle materials (compared to traditional manufacturing methods). The additive manufacturing of parts that have complex enough materials composition and property gradients will need to have their materials looked into thoroughly prior to manufacturing into the final product. A metal additive manufacturing method used for one component (made of titanium) may not be suitable to produce a component made of another metal part (such as aluminum). This is because of different additive manufacturing principles that may need to be applied, such as polymerization (where a photo-polymer resin in a vat is selectively cured by a light source), ink/binder, melting and freezing, or joining.

An example exists in thermal management systems, where the design freedom provided via additive manufacturing gives way for optimized cooling with low flow rates and high heat transfer performance. Numerical analysis of copper, aluminum, and titanium can be tested ahead of time to ensure a reliable single piece of construction turns into a high-performance product.

WIP History Bluestreak MES Software
Compare WIP history in Bluestreak.

Types of Additive Manufacturing Software

Just as there are many types of additive manufacturing processes (such as powder bed fusion and vat photopolymerization), there are equally as many types of additive manufacturing software. It’s easy to get lost in the many types available, but if you have a better understanding of what types exist, you may be able to find the best fit for your company in a shorter amount of time.

Additive Manufacturing Design Software

At the start of any additive manufacturing process is the design and development phase. The design is typically done via CAD or computer-aided design software. CAD software helps draw and create build plans with specific dimensions and builds a 3D model of various parts and specifications.

The visualizations created in additive manufacturing design software, or CAD software, will help give you an idea as to what the final product will look like. This software also gives recommendations on the types of machines to use and any support strutures needed. Overall, additive manufacturing design software is intended to streamline your workflows and reduce any build errors from occurring, meaning your product can end up in a customer’s hands faster.

Other types of additive manufacturing design software include:

  • Modeling and sculpting software: Creates models by manipulating objects. Usually used to create more artistic/freeform shapes and models.
  • Mesh software: Mesh software creates an area of geometric space into high-quality cells. Mesh software is used to make a more complex type of shape. This is because it can be hard to truly show curvature or specific angles on a computer screen, so a very high number of small flat surfaces are used in their place.

Additive Manufacturing Simulation Software

Similar to the design software, additive manufacturing simulation software is a more broad concept that focuses on design validation, improving build setup, and simulation of the print process. Simulation software in additive manufacturing utilizes topology optimization and lattice structures, meaning material layout will be optimized within a given design space, using specific loads, boundary conditions, and constraints.

Simulation techniques help compression moldings of composite materials, in predicting both the microstructure once they are made as well as their performance afterward. The goal of additive manufacturing simulation software is to deliver a package that can make a complex composite structure. These structures usually have a stochastic microstructure that can predict failure within the product, which is critical to confidence in your product.

The major costs in using composite methods are tooling and producing the tooling correct the first time. Additive manufacturing simulation software helps provide a quick and inexpensive way to test these methods out.

Simulation software can simulate both additive and traditional machining capabilities. Simulating both operations can identify potential problems when implementing additive methods. Users can access detailed histories, which saves programmers time by quickly identifying the source of errors. This additive capability checks accurate laser cladding and material disposition, detects collision between the machine and the additive part, and find errors/voids and misplaced material.

Overall, an additive manufacturing simulation software will transition your research and development efforts (R&D) into a manufacturing operation you can trust and profit off of.

Additive Manufacturing Workflow Software

A core part of the production process, additive manufacturing workflow software oversees order turnaround time, maximizes machine utilization rates, and overall provides controls needed for your AM production. These solutions are most related to manufacturing execution systems, or MES software, but have more of a focus on working in an additive manufacturing environment.

Additive manufacturing workflow software handles anything that relates to the production planning process. When orders are received, any order requiring a 3D printer will be optimized and go to the correct location. Quotes should be automatically generated for these 3D printing costs, as well as the creation of build-time simulations. From there, workflow software will help create a machine schedule that includes data on build times, material usages, and can help you plan the most efficient way of creating these manufacturing jobs.

Infor CloudSuite Industrial Configure Products Manufacturing Software
Configure products in Infor CloudSuite Industrial (formerly SyteLine).

What Does Your Manufacturing Business Need?

Most traditional manufacturing processes follow a subtractive method, meaning the material is subtracted or formed from raw material. For companies that use 3D technologies to add material through an automated process (adding layers by depositing material, hardening material, melting a powder, etc.), this is called additive manufacturing and requires the special types of the software mentioned above.

To figure out which of these solutions you need, you’ll need to analyze your current build methods, look at your existing software environment, and determine what areas you could improve in.

Many MES and QMS software options make it very easy to implement additive manufacturing capabilities into your tracking, monitoring, and documentation process.

A few professionals who work with AM businesses had the following to say about the future of additive manufacturing:

Organizations are going to need their MES/QMS software providers to give them the capability and functional components they need to have better control, detailed audit trails and documentation, and the ability to ensure compliance. Ron Beltz, Bluestreak

The only customization that is often required is the integration into MES and QMS tools & The actual preparation and build of an AM part is only part of the process. Raw materials, scheduling, and post-processing need to be planned and scheduled. Eric Miller, PADT

Hydra MES Plant Floor MES Software
Manage your plant floor with Hydra MES.