Stratasys, trinckle 3D Partner on Software Agreement

Stratasys has signed a memorandum of understanding to partner with German-based software company, trinckle 3D GmbH, to integrate its fixturemate software into Stratasys’ GrabCAD Print Pro software package.

This integration will complete Stratasys’ tooling workflow. It allows for simplified fixtures design by non-CAD-designers and broaden the range of users who can benefit from the capabilities of GrabCAD software.

The addition of fixturemate enables manufacturers without CAD expertise to design and configure custom 3D-printed fixtures within Stratasys’ GrabCad Print Pro. This partnership is aimed to expand the reach of GrabCAD Print Pro to address demand for fixture and tooling applications across nearly all industries, including industrial, transportation, service bureaus, contract manufacturing, and service and repair.

“Eliminating the need for specialized CAD skills gives customers flexibility with their manufacturing workforce when it comes to the development of complex fixtures and tooling,” says Victor Gerdes, vice president, Software, Stratasys. “This new offering is targeted at delivering significant savings in time and workforce development, while allowing customers to use our solutions for both print preparation as well as critical design tasks for manufacturing,”

Using intelligent automation, the fixturemate software automates the design of custom fixtures, allowing manufacturers to create secure holding solutions in minutes. This solution eliminates the manual effort and complexity traditionally associated with fixture design. The new software package optimizes fixture geometry based on part shape. Integrated into Stratasys’ GrabCAD Print Pro, fixturemate accelerates production workflows, according to Stratasys.

“We're removing one of the biggest barriers in additive manufacturing, the need for specialized CAD skills and the costs associated with the manual design process,” says Florian Reichle, CEO and co-founder of trinckle 3D. “By integrating fixturemate with Stratasys’ GrabCAD Print Pro, we’re making it easier than ever for manufacturers to create custom, production-ready fixtures in minutes."

Stratasys is planning to showcase the new fixturemate / GrabCAD Print Pro integration at RAPID + TCT in Detroit. The new software offering is expected to be available later this year, across the entire Stratasys technology portfolio.

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