Stratasys announced a new software partnership with Novineer to solve one of the long-standing challenges in industrial FDM 3D printing: knowing how a printed part will actually perform before it is made.It’s an area the industry has been working on for years.And while many tools exist, engineers still often rely on trial and error to be sure a part will work.
What’s different here is where and how the solution to this problem is delivered: it’s built directly into the print workflow and uses real toolpath data.The two companies are integrating Novineer’s NoviPath performance simulation software directly into GrabCAD Print Pro.They say the goal is to help engineers predict how load-bearing FDM parts, which are designed to handle real force without breaking, will behave in real applications, while reducing the need for repeated physical testing.
Basically, this partnership hopes to make FDM printing more predictable and production-ready.Stratasys GrabCad Print Pro.Image courtesy of Stratasys.
Why This is Important for FDM Users FDM is widely used in aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing, but proving that printed parts actually work can be slow and costly.Engineers often print a part, test it, change the design, and print it again.But this cycle can take weeks, and use a lot of materials as well.
Traditional simulation tools don’t always work well for FDM parts.They treat a printed part as one solid piece, forgetting how it’s actually built layer by layer.That means they often miss how print settings affect strength and failure.
As a result, engineers often over-design parts just to be safe, making them heavier and slower to print than necessary, explains the company.The Stratasys-Novineer partnership is designed to address that gap.With this integration, Novineer’s NoviPath software uses the same print data from GrabCAD Print Pro to predict how an FDM part will behave under real loads.
Instead of guessing or printing and testing over and over, engineers can see how a part will behave before they print it.Because the simulation is “toolpath-aware,” it takes into account how the part is printed, including build direction, layer layout, infill, and material choice.This helps engineers understand how changes to print settings affect part performance, not just the part’s shape.
According to Stratasys and Novineer, early users of the technology have reported weight reductions of up to 35% on load-bearing parts, while still meeting performance requirements.Lighter parts also mean faster print times and lower material costs.Embedded Directly in GrabCAD Print Pro One of the key points of this partnership is that the simulation is embedded directly into Stratasys’ software.
Engineers do not need to export models or switch tools.Using GrabCAD Print Pro, users can launch simulations using actual print toolpaths, define application-specific loads and safety factors, identify likely failure locations, and iterate designs virtually until performance targets are met.And all of this happens before a physical part is printed.
Victor Gerdes, Vice President of Software at Stratasys, said, “Engineers often over-design FDM parts or rely on trial-and-error testing because they don’t have an easy and accessible simulation solution to predict part performance.Integrating Novineer’s simulation with GrabCAD Print Pro lets engineers predict how FDM parts will behave before printing the parts, saving time and costs.It’s a complete, validated workflow for polymer extrusion that no other 3D printer manufacturer offers today.” A Focus on Production and Qualification Ali Tamijani, CEO and co-founder of Novineer, described the partnership as a way to “bridge the gap between design intent and real-world part performance.
Stratasys users can now predict stiffness, strength, and failure before they hit ‘print,’ cutting trial-and-error, time, and cost while qualifying more FDM parts.As the first OEM to launch this unique solution, Stratasys is redefining what material extrusion can deliver in a production setting.” This is especially important for safety-critical and load-bearing applications, where failure is not an option and validation requirements are high.Stratasys GrabCAD Print Pro and Novineer’s NoviPath will help engineers and manufacturers identify performance issues in parts.
Image courtesy of Stratasys.The companies plan to make the integration available through an early access pilot in the second quarter of 2026, which is expected to support several of Stratasys’ industrial FDM systems, including the F3300, F900, and Fortus 450mc.What’s more, the material library will begin with validated data for industrial materials, such as Antero 800NA, FDM Nylon 12CF, and ULTEM 9085.
Additional systems and materials are planned as part of the roadmap.This story is about reducing guesswork in FDM printing.By integrating simulation directly into the print workflow, Stratasys and Novineer hope to help engineers move faster and with fewer surprises.
And for industrial users, that could make a real difference.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.Print Services Upload your 3D Models and get them printed quickly and efficiently.
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