6. Company Case Study 2 — Stratasys (Platform Innovation)

6.1 Company Background
Stratasys is a leading additive manufacturing company spanning FDM, PolyJet, SAF, Neo stereolithography (SL), and P3 DLP. Its hardware portfolio is anchored by a unified software stack, the GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing Platform, which consolidates print preparation (GrabCAD Print and Print Pro), order intake and scheduling (GrabCAD Shop and Control), production analytics (Analyze and Streamline Pro), and an expanding IoT layer. Rather than a set of point tools, this stack functions like an operating system for production‑grade 3D printing: it connects printers, certified materials partners, and independent software vendors with enterprise systems such as PLM, MES, and ERP, enforcing a consistent data model, permissions, and audit trails. Within the 3D‑printing value chain, Stratasys therefore plays the role of a platform orchestrator that standardizes workflows and data from design through validation to serial production, both in single‑site factories and multi‑site networks. By exposing SDKs and industrial connectivity standards, the company reduces integration friction for partners and gives manufacturers a single pane of glass for job preparation, fleet visibility, quality documentation, and compliance reporting. This positioning is particularly valuable for regulated and throughput‑sensitive sectors—such as aerospace, healthcare, and transportation—where customers increasingly operate mixed fleets and need repeatable, auditable processes, while still preserving optionality around materials, part qualification, and supplier collaboration across the ecosystem (Stratasys, n.d.-a; Stratasys, 2023).

6.2 Technology Application
On the production floor, GrabCAD Print Pro raises build quality and throughput by shifting key pre‑print decisions from tacit operator knowledge to repeatable, data‑assisted workflows. Accuracy Center uses scan data to generate warp‑adjusted models that compensate for geometric deviation before a job is launched, reducing iteration loops and dimensional variability. Complementary capabilities make planning faster and more transparent: 3D Array packs parts densely for high‑volume production on compatible systems; automated support generation and tray‑packing with collision checks de‑risk setups; per‑part costing exposes machine, material, and labor assumptions; and reliable build‑time estimation reduces variance between planning and execution. Because Print Pro is technology‑aware across PolyJet, FDM, SAF, SL, and P3, shops can apply consistent nesting, orientation, and quality‑control logic across heterogeneous fleets instead of maintaining different playbooks for each printer family. The result is higher first‑pass yield, fewer reprints, and more predictable cycle time when programs transition from prototyping to serial production or when demand spikes require rapid rebalancing across machines and sites (Stratasys, n.d.-b).

Beyond pre‑print, Stratasys extends the digital thread with fleet‑level connectivity and IoT. Operators can monitor queues, utilization, and machine health in real time, enforce role‑based access and audit trails, and perform remote diagnostics and job releases without switching tools. Standardized APIs and SDKs integrate with PLM/MES/ERP for automated work orders, materials traceability, and quality reporting, while on‑prem options meet security and regulatory needs. The same environment supports process tuning and materials development: parameter access and logging—augmented by OpenAM—let engineers capture the rationale behind build settings, compare outcomes across printers and sites, and templatize proven recipes. Because the stack spans multiple technologies, including P3 DLP and PolyJet, enterprises can harmonize workflows and IT controls around one interface, simplifying scale‑up from pilot cells to multi‑site operations. When these layers operate together, the value proposition shifts from isolated printers to a connected production system that improves uptime, queue‑to‑start time, and first‑pass yield while narrowing the gap between estimated and actual build cost (Stratasys, n.d.-a).

6.3 Discussion on Innovation Concepts
Viewed through the lens of Platform Innovation, Stratasys is building a multi‑sided system in which value increases as more participants join and interact. On the demand side are designers, operators, and manufacturing engineers who require reliable workflows across multiple technologies; on the supply side are Stratasys printers and certified materials; surrounding them are independent software vendors that extend capabilities via SDKs and standardized connectivity; finally, enterprise systems such as ERP, MES, and PLM provide governance and traceability. By orchestrating these sides within a unified data model and workflow layer, the platform converts previously siloed tools into a connected environment where applications, job data, and quality records can flow end‑to‑end. This architecture encourages complementors to specialize—simulation, costing, QA analytics—while customers benefit from reduced switching costs and a shorter path from design to validated production. As adoption grows, cross‑side network effects make the platform progressively more valuable for both users and partners, reinforcing a virtuous cycle of integration and usage (Stratasys, 2023).

Stratasys manages openness through a strategy of controlled openness: APIs and connectivity kits enable two‑way data exchange, job scheduling, and monitoring across printer families, but access, identity, and versioning are governed to preserve security and reliability for production environments. This balance reduces partner integration costs while maintaining predictable behavior for enterprise IT, a prerequisite for regulated sectors where process documentation, audit trails, and change control are mandatory. Crucially, platform governance—covering interface stability, certification of integrations, and lifecycle policies—aligns incentives among Stratasys, customers, and third parties. Partners can innovate without rebuilding core plumbing, customers avoid hard lock‑in by relying on standard interfaces, and Stratasys captures value by coordinating the ecosystem and curating a roadmap that keeps the platform interoperable with upstream design tools and downstream manufacturing systems at scale (Stratasys, 2023).

AI strengthens these dynamics by converting operational data into performance improvements. At the workflow level, embedded and partner‑enabled features—such as data‑driven model compensation in Accuracy Center, automated packing, and cost estimation—reduce trial‑and‑error and tighten dimensional outcomes. At the operations level, telemetry from connected fleets feeds analytics that identify bottlenecks, predict maintenance, and recommend scheduling or parameter adjustments. The result is a learning platform where every build contributes to better defaults and guardrails, improving first‑pass yield, reducing reprint ratios, stabilizing cycle time, and narrowing the gap between estimated and actual cost. Evidence can be captured through metrics visible in GrabCAD dashboards and Print Pro reports, including utilization, downtime, queue‑to‑start time, accuracy deltas after compensation, and rework rate, creating a measurable business case for scaling AM across programs and sites (Stratasys, n.d.-a; Stratasys, n.d.-b).

References
Stratasys. (2023, May 2). Stratasys delivers open software platform for production‑scale additive manufacturing [Press release]. https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/756/stratasys-delivers-open-software-platform-for-production-scale-additive-manufacturing

Stratasys. (n.d.-a). Stratasys 3D printing software for additive manufacturing. https://www.stratasys.com/en/software/

Stratasys. (n.d.-b). GrabCAD Print Pro: Features and release notes. https://support.stratasys.com/en/Software/GrabCAD-Print/About/GrabCAD-Print-Pro