Stratasys has announced a partnership with Novineer to integrate Novineer’s toolpath-aware FDM performance simulation technology into GrabCAD Print Pro. The integration aims to reduce physical testing for safety-critical, load-bearing polymer parts by enabling engineers to predict part performance directly from printer toolpaths.
The collaboration brings Novineer’s NoviPath simulation engine into Stratasys’ software ecosystem. The combined workflow allows users to evaluate stiffness, strength, and failure behavior before printing. According to the companies, early users have reported weight reductions of up to 35% on load-bearing FDM parts while maintaining required performance margins.
Toolpath-aware simulation for material extrusion
Traditional finite element analysis (FEA) tools typically model 3D printed components as homogeneous solids. This assumption limits accuracy for material extrusion processes, where layer orientation, raster direction, and infill geometry strongly influence mechanical behavior. Novineer’s approach uses native GrabCAD toolpath data to account for these variables, enabling process-aware simulation rather than geometry-only analysis.
By simulating parts using the same toolpaths that will be sent to the printer, engineers can identify likely failure locations, define application-specific load cases, and iterate designs virtually within the GrabCAD Print Pro environment, without producing multiple physical test parts.
“Partnering with Stratasys embeds NoviPath’s toolpath-aware simulation into GrabCAD Print Pro, bridging the gap between design intent and real-world part performance,” said Ali Tamijani, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Novineer. “Stratasys users can now predict stiffness, strength, and failure before they hit ‘print,’ reducing trial-and-error, time, and cost while qualifying more FDM parts. As the first OEM to launch this solution, Stratasys is redefining what material extrusion can deliver in production.”
While the integration is positioned by Novineer as a first-of-its-kind capability within Stratasys’ ecosystem, other additive manufacturing OEMs have previously embedded toolpath-aware simulation into their software platforms. Markforged, for example, has offered toolpath-level performance simulation within its Eiger software, allowing users to predict mechanical behavior based on generated print paths prior to printing. In this context, the Stratasys–Novineer collaboration represents an additional implementation of toolpath-aware simulation within FDM workflows.
Platform support and roadmap
The integrated simulation workflow is planned to support Stratasys industrial FDM systems including the F3300, F900, and Fortus 450mc. An initial pre-validated material library will include Antero 800NA, FDM Nylon 12CF, and ULTEM 9085 filament, with additional materials and platforms planned over time.
Stratasys said the integration will be offered through a joint early-access pilot program with Novineer in Q2 2026.
Expanding the Stratasys software ecosystem
With the Novineer partnership, Stratasys is extending its software stack beyond print preparation into performance validation. The company positions the integration as a way to shorten time-to-production, reduce overall costs, and increase confidence when qualifying FDM parts for real-world applications.
Recent developments around GrabCAD Print Pro have highlighted a broader push to streamline additive manufacturing workflows by embedding design and automation tools directly into Stratasys’ print preparation environment. Previous integrations have focused on reducing manual steps between design and production, including automated fixture design through trinckle’s Fixturemate software and configurable model generation via Iteration3D’s on-demand platform.
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Featured image shows failure detection via Novineer’s NoviPath simulation engine. Image via Stratasys.
