Ultimaker, with its sights set on becoming an enterprise 3D printing solution, launched a new software suite to solve many of the problems larger businesses had when trying to scale the technology in a corporate IT setting.

The new Ultimaker Essentials software-as-a-service enables companies to roll-out 3D printing enterprise-wide with a central hub, heightened security, and biannual updates. Corporate IT departments hesitate to install Ultimaker’s open-source Cura software because of its frequent updates and security concerns among other issues. Although the open-source Cura is still available, the Essentials subscription includes a version called Cura Enterprise that can be configured and managed with cross-platform systems distribution and is independently scanned, tested, and analyzed for vulnerabilities.

“Talking to users, we often heard of challenges adopting and scaling 3D printing within their organizations because of IT requirements,” said David Robinson, a marketing manager at Ultimaker, on the company blog. “So, we developed Ultimaker Essentials not only to benefit those who use our 3D printers day-to-day, but for the IT admins and teams responsible for setting up and maintaining a secure, stable infrastructure.”

The new Essentials bundle includes Digital Factory, an application to manage multiple printers anywhere. While the Cura Connect app offers a limited view into networked printers (typically in one location), Digital Factory enables an engineer in Chicago to send a print job to a machine in Orlando while supervising engineers in Kansas City can monitor all the material configurations, printer idle time, and print activity companywide using an company account. Digital Factory also enables users to group printers based on workflow and schedule print jobs to a centralized queue​ organized by priority.

“The transition to digital distribution and local manufacturing is now imminent and more imperative than ever,” said Jos Burger, CEO, Ultimaker in a recent webinar to introduce the product. “The Ultimaker Essentials launch is targeted at addressing these gaps and removing the final barriers in adoption of 3D printing.”

Possibly the feature of Essentials that will delight corporate IT departments the most is Ultimaker’s marketplace of verified plugins, aptly named Marketplace. Here, users can download approved plugins to improve 3D printing workflows. Plugins include integrations with Siemens NX, SolidWorks, and Blender.

New Ultimaker Training and Certifications

According to Ultimaker, software was only one hurdle to widespread business adoption of 3D printing, training was the second. In a recent survey of business users, Ultimaker found 69% said the biggest barrier to expanding the use of 3D is education.

The Ultimaker 3D Printing Academy is the company’s answer to the question: How do I turn my design teams into 3D printing experts. Their e-learning platform features issue- and topic-targeted videos covering the basics through to complex issues, and even awards certificates for completion. As part of the Ultimaker Essential package, users have access to three e-learning Academy courses, which are also available apart from the Essentials subscription.

“In Q4 we will expand the Academy by releasing multiple role- and topic-based courses, which will lead to additional certifications,” said Nuno Campos, Ultimaker’s CMO. “We look forward to the continued adoption and education of 3D printing, and are excited to help businesses uncover how 3D printing can benefit their business now and in the future.”

The final component of Ultimaker’s new enterprise approach is support. The subscription-based software package includes direct email support with an Ultimaker technician (English only), plus access to a built-in knowledge base and online training for IT admins.

Ultimaker Essentials is $300 per year and will be available in October. Companies that sign up for early access can subscribe now and use Essentials for free until October.