SLM Solutions, Viaccess-Orca, and ShipParts.Com Implement Cloud-To-Print Solution

SLM Solutions, Viaccess-Orca and ShipParts.com report a new technology solution to enable direct cloud-to-print for additive manufacturing (AM).

The solution enhances the usage of parts data from the ShipParts.com cloud thanks to Viaccess-Orca's Secure Manufacturing Platform (SMP), a digital assets protection and traceability solution, to enable secure printing on SLM Solutions Selective Laser Melting machine series. Part files remain encrypted, and cannot be printed, until permission is granted, thereby ensuring effective production control in a distributed manufacturing paradigm as well as preventing the tampering of files.

This fully automated software execution secures the manufacturer’s Intellectual Property (IP) related to the parts data by controlling quantity, duration and parameters for the allowable print. The solution is based on the native integration of VO's SMP software libraries with SLM Solutions machine firmware.

"As a pioneer in the field of digital assets distribution and traceability for Industry 4.0, with over 20 years of experience in designing, developing, and operating digital content security systems, Viaccess-Orca is pleased to once again set the standard for secure additive manufacturing together with its partners ShipParts.com and SLM Solutions," says Alain Nochimowski, chief technology officer at Viaccess-Orca. "The native integration of our secure manufacturing platform with SLM Solutions machines brings to the market a new value proposition and paves the way to truly distributed manufacturing."

"The Viaccess-Orca integration with SLM Solutions machines offers our customers a secure end-to-end solution that allows distributed manufacturing models around the globe," says Nicolas Lemaire, software product manager at SLM Solutions. "This integration is made possible thanks to our open architecture strategy that empowers our customers to benefit from our industry-leading additive manufacturing systems."

"Listening to our customer base, we understood the key to widespread adoption of AM technologies by marine equipment Manufacturers has always been the security of IP," says Roy Yap, chief growth officer at ShipParts.com. "With this solution, we can assure our customer base without a doubt that their IP can securely be licensed per print, disrupting conventional aftersales models. We are very excited to commercialize the solution."

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.