#3DStartup: PrintParts on the Importance of Scanning and Tracking 3D Printed Parts

As 3D printing continues to industrialize, more companies are looking to overcome obstacles to its adoption. One that has been gaining in attention lately centers on the traceability of a part. Parts made with additive manufacturing are often feared to be at risk for counterfeiting due to the digital nature of the files, which can be easy to duplicate and steal. Not to mention, with more and more companies moving to qualify parts, it is also important to know its entire history to be able to verify each step of the process and the materials used. For these reasons, PrintParts, a New York startup, has created SmartParts which allow for end-to-end traceability of any 3D printed part. We spoke with Aundera Shcroder, the Director of Communication at PrintParts to learn more about the company, its SmartParts and the importance of traceability in additive manufacturing.

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and your connection to 3D Printing?

I am Aundera Schroder, the Director of Communications at PrintParts. My background is in design and marketing, initially in the fashion and photography industry. Additive manufacturing appealed to me because of the physical nature of it, and the appeal of being able to take a concept from initial design to prototyping to finished product.

Aundera Schroder, the Director of Communications at PrintParts

I spent over two years working on marketing for Link3D, a leading additive MES that was recently acquired by Materialise. In that role, I began to realize how critical digital transformation efforts were for manufacturing organizations, and when the opportunity came to join PrintParts and develop the branding and market positioning strategy for SmartParts it was a natural fit.