The 3D Systems additive manufacturing (AM) technology that is available in the UK from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) has now been enhanced with the release of 3D Sprint 3.0.

The exclusive new software technology for preparing and optimising CAD and polygon data and managing the AM process on the company’s plastic 3-D printers offers significant enhancements over previous versions.

Launched in December, the software release includes key new features and enhancements, with a special focus on capabilities that support the move from rapid prototyping to serial production.

3D Sprint 3.0 has the ability to perform as a single software application that takes the user from CAD to print with increased efficiency and optimised data management that streamlines the time to print parts with a single, easy-to-use interface.

The software solution has several new enhancements that include the ability to import industry standard 3MF format files, a new tool to space and align parts on the build platform and the ability to delete sub-parts and reset parts to their original size and position.

Further improvements include more detailed and data-rich reporting and the ability to separate parts in random colour for easier identification. With the 3D Systems MultiJet Printing (MJP) line, the 3D Sprint 3.0 software provides the end-user with the ability to automatically place parts by height for better quality and print speed while also providing the facility to include more parts on the build tray.

The MJP line also benefits from the new scale and offset Wizard that can calibrate the printer and deliver parts that are more precise than ever before.

Also in the ETG portfolio is the Figure 4 Series of 3-D printers and for this product line, the new 3D Sprint 3.0 software provides the ability to add struts to reinforce supports as well as introducing improved printability checks.

With regards to the Projet 6000 and Projet 7000 Series of additive machines in the 3D Systems Stereolithography (SLA) Series, customers can now benefit from new support structure options to improve the print success rate, part quality and enable easier post-processing while using less material.

Additionally, the new software platform provides more build style flexibility and it enables users to copy build styles from one part/region to another.