With the introduction of YSoft be3D eDee solution for Education earlier this year, Y Soft achieved an industry first in 3D printing – a complete 3D print management solution for education. Frankly, we were astonished at the response.
In March 2016, IDC said of
YSoft be3D eDee:
“IDC believes this announcement demonstrates the changing needs for management of 3D printers, especially as they enter heavily controlled 2D printing environments. eDee represents a way in which the company can help address the demands of accelerator technology by leveraging the knowledge gained from the traditional hardcopy market. IDC believes as partnerships, product development, and offerings of 3D printing grow among hardcopy technology suppliers, the demand for solutions to centralize the print environment 2D or 3D will increase.”[1]
In evaluating the response from our partners, customers and industry analysts, we have come to realize the opportunity in Education is unlike any other and we are tremendously excited about it.
We also have a lot of work ahead of us to deeply penetrate the Education market and to continue to bring more industry-first features and solutions. It has made us think a lot about what we are trying to achieve and how we are going to accomplish it.
Workflow in 3D Printing
As IDC points out, centralized print environments for both 2D (paper) and 3D printers will increase. We are able to leverage our 2D centralized printing know-how to 3D printers. No other 3D printer can say the same. Still, education brings unique challenges – many of which YSoft be3D eDee addresses – which we learned during our year-long field test with a technical school in Prague, Prosek Technical School.
And, there is so much more to do to make 3D printing as ubiquitous in Education as paper printers are today. Education workflows are required by schools as they deploy multiple printers across the campus networks. Gartner explains the need for centralized printing, governance and workflow:
“Within the past five years, 3D print service bureaus and universities began employing multiple 3D printers, occasionally across multiple sites, uncovering a need for workflow software to monitor and manage their 3D printing activities. These activities necessitate greater corporate governance and monitoring of 3D printing workflow activities.”[2]
Changes in our 3D solutions focus areas
That is why we have made the decision to focus our 3D print solutions efforts and business entirely on Education. That decision is both exciting and bittersweet as it means we cannot focus on other vertical markets, such as manufacturing, at this time.
Product Changes
The focus on Education also means we are phasing out YSoft be3D DeeRed which was targeted toward manufacturing. We will also phase out YSoft be3D DeeGreen. Effective today, these products will no longer be available for purchase. Customers who have purchased DeeGreen or DeeRed will be notified and receive five years of spare part replacement warranty and support. DeeRed will be supported with PLA and PVA filaments for five years. By September 2021, these two products will have reached their final end of life status.
The people and resources from these two product areas will contribute greatly to our 3D in Education initiative and their know-how will help accelerate our plans in this area.
We look forward to sharing future news about our progress and 3D print solutions in Education soon.
[1] Y Soft Announces Print Management for 3D Printing, Tim Greene, Arianna Valentini, IDC Document #US41139116
[2] Gartner, Inc. | Document #G00309087, August 2016