The software maintains perfect relationships between 3D prints in progress and the customer record to which the 3D print belongs. The solution provides accurate and timely information for accounting with regard to completed shipments, billable revenue and splits between product revenue and shipping revenue. It also provides transparent time and production management, in particular it tracks performance of the overall production system, total time to manufacture, time on each step in the process and total hands on time.

Z Corporation is one of the biggest producers of 3D printers that sell globally in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, architecture, education, geospatial industries, entertainment, etc. Its customers include Sony, Adidas, Canon, Kodak, NASA, BMW, Porsche, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Harvard, and Yale.

During development the key business challenge was to relate customer 3D print orders with their records. The biggest technological challenge was integration of the new application into the existent Z Corporation infrastructure.

System highlights

• Real time status tracking from order reception to its shipping to the customer;
• Integration with eCommerce systems via XML protocol;
• Integration with delivery / shipping software at the database level;
• 3D Printer load optimization reduces everyday operational cost;
• Build-in scheduler automates the entire workflow;
• Look-n-feel follows corporate standards and conforms to corporate identity.

The solution is fully integrated with the corporate infrastructure. At present Itransition specialists are starting version 2.0 of the application.

Technologies and Tools Used: ASP.Net 2.0; C#; Microsoft SQL Server 2005; IIS 6.0; Microsoft AJAX, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services 2005; Microsoft Project 2007, IBM Rational RequisitePro, Mindjet MindManager 8.0, IBM Rational ClearCase; IBM Rational ClearCase; Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 SP1.

Efforts:  12 man-months