Zortrax has introduced cloud-based printing management for its range of professional grade 3D printers.

Zortrax-3d-print-software-inCloud

Called ‘inCloud’, the system “enables remote management of Zortrax 3D printers from anywhere in the world”, according to the company. “This solution will manage the 3D printing manufacturing processes for both single-device users and businesses running large 3D printing farms.”

The software started life in-house, controlling the ~200 printer farm at the company’s Polish headquarters – we use this system every day while planning work on our devices, said CEO Rafał Tomasiak. Now we are making it available to all users of Zortrax printers.

“Hundreds of different designs, prototypes and test prints are created in our company every day,” said Zortax, “Our managers stood in need of the effective software to operate multiple devices simultaneously. It was important not only to be able to initiate specific prints remotely, but also to look into the history of the printouts and to check the current state of the given machine without having to approach it.”

Users can upload a model to a chosen 3D printer and start or pause the printing of the model remotely. A local operator still has to remove prints from the build platforms.

Capabilities include assigning individual printers, or groups of printers, to selected groups of employees.

A multi-print function aimed at businesses running large printing farms, allowing the selection of currently available devices for mass production.

Users can also remotely access cameras built in ‘M Series Plus’ machines to view printing as it happens and check if a previously printed item has been cleard from its build platform before starting another print.

Privacy settings are available: “We know that models and prototypes created on our printers are valuable intellectual property,” said the company. “With the remote management of a printing process, models are sent to a selected printer or printers through our servers. All the transmissions are encrypted and, as soon as the file is loaded on a target printer, it is automatically removed from our servers.”

Only basic data is stored, such as the use of material or printing time necessary to provide users with the history of their prints.

InCloud is available from today, with free transfer of models up to 1Gbyte total.

Above this are the 3Gbyte Standard plan, 16Gbyte Professional plan and 50Gbyte Enterprise plan, with the available transfer renewed monthly.