Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for 3D printing companies.
A checklist built from how 3D printing companies work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- File intake and revision history
- Quotes from print hours and material
- Build plate and printer queue
- Material spools and resin lots
- Post-processing route
- Inspection and failed builds
- Printer maintenance log
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For owners
- For estimators
- For production leads
- For printer operators
- For quality and finishing staff
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Machine hours booked against available hours by printer
- Quotes sent, approved and lapsed by revision
- Material grams drawn against grams billed, by material
- Failed builds by cause, printer and material
- Parts inspected, passed and sent for rework
- Printers due for nozzle, vat or calibration service
- Unpaid invoices by customer
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- SMS
- WhatsApp and other messaging
- Slicer export files
- Courier tracking
- Payment gateway
- Accounting export
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Can it work with several printer types at once?
- Does a quote stay tied to a model revision?
- How is material consumption tracked?
- Can we record failed prints and their cost?
- Do customers get a login?
- Does it read geometry from a model file?
- Can printer maintenance be scheduled?
- Can we reprint a part from an earlier order?
- How much does it cost?
- Can the data be exported later?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- A revised file is printed against an old quote
- Spool weight is guessed at quoting
- Failed builds are not costed
- Finishing steps lose their order
- Printer maintenance follows memory
Prefer to talk it through? See the 3D printing companies page.