The new web-based cloud will allow companies to scale up their additive manufacturing (AM) operations and make entire printing workflows more efficient, controlled, and easier than ever before.
The introduction of the new software follows a number of hardware innovations at BCN3D - including the recently launched Smart Cabinet - which were developed to meet rapidly growing demand for 3D printing.
The new BCN3D Cloud centralises all aspects of remote printer and resource management into one place for the easy implementation of a systematic workflow. Bringing a completely renewed experience and interface for users, BCN3D’s new platform is available under three different plans - Standard, Teams and Private.
The BCN3D Cloud Standard plan is included for all BCN3D customers (Epsilon Series and Sigma D25) and is ideal for driving the adoption of additive manufacturing within companies. Its main features are the digital library, queues management, organising and prioritising print jobs and clusters. These allow users to group printers according to their different characteristics or capabilities and to view statistics for real-time analysis.
The BCN3D Cloud Teams allows advanced organisations to administrate a departmental structure with customised roles and permissions for members. This plan also includes the Workflows feature, which enables several workflows to be created to effectively manage and control the printing process, all the way from design to the final piece. Depending on the role, some users can add files to the workflow while others are responsible for managing the printing process. The Teams plan will be available from late October onwards for a three-month probation period and will then be priced at 495€ per year (595$/year).
The BCN3D Cloud Private is an on-demand plan for corporations with very specific privacy and security requirements.
Daniel Arroyo, Chief Software Officer of BCN3D, said: “The integration of AM processes is becoming more critical for BCN3D’s clients because the applications are more demanding, with BCN3D machines often printing for more than 12 hours a day on average. With increasing printed part volumes, more people, and more machines interacting, the workflow needs to be robust and seamless. To support those customer needs, our vision is to provide software layers that add value to the hardware, effectively closing the circle of an enterprise-level solution.”
The new cloud is available from 13 October. BCN3D is hosting a live webinar on October 18th at 3pm. BCN3D’s Chief Software Officer Daniel Arroyo is on hand for a full walkthrough of the new BCN3D Cloud.
2021 has been key in the development of BCN3D’s software vision, with the release of the new slicer BCN3D Stratos and the addition of the integration with Teton Simulation’s SmartSlice for print parameter optimisation. Alongside this, BCN3D has also worked with Autodesk to include BCN3D printers in Fusion 360, to offer users a fast-tracked printing process. The new cloud has been built based on the Astroprint IP, a 3D printing software company known for its sophisticated cloud solutions, which was acquired by BCN3D in July.
Keeping pace with the continuously growing AM market, BCN3D now focuses on the automotive, manufacturing, and engineering sectors, which typically produce functional parts, tooling and low volume batches. The company's transition from entry-level to workbench machines started in 2019 with the release of the BCN3D Epsilon and the materials partnership with BASF Forward AM and Mitsubishi Chemical. Later in 2020, BCN3D completed the Epsilon Series by launching the Smart Cabinet which ensures filaments are consistently kept at optimal humidity levels.
