Skip to main content

Atlas 3D

SoftwarePlymouth, Indiana, United StatesFounded 2017· One of 350 Software companies tracked by AMPulse

Atlas 3D developed Sunata™, a cloud-based, GPU-accelerated software that automatically orients parts for optimal printing and generates the necessary support structures for direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) 3D printers. The software uses thermal distortion analysis to minimize print failures and post-processing efforts.

CEO / Founder
Chad Barden
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$5M
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
ITAMCO (Initial Support, Chairman), University of Notre Dame (Technology Development, License), Pit Road Fund (IDEA Center Investment)

Technology & Products

Key Products

["Sunata™"]

Technological Advantage

The software significantly reduced the need for specialized knowledge and manual intervention in the pre-print phase, making metal additive manufacturing more accessible and efficient. Its cloud-based, GPU-accelerated nature allowed it to deliver results up to one hundred times faster than competing solutions.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

To simplify and automate the complex process of preparing 3D models for metal printing, reducing the need for expert analysis and trial-and-error, thereby saving time and material costs.

How They Differentiate

Atlas 3D differentiated itself by offering a fully automated, 'push-button' solution focused specifically on thermal distortion for metal AM, which was a major pain point for the industry. Its speed and ease of use were key differentiators.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Designers and manufacturing engineers using metal additive manufacturing, including 3D printing service bureaus and large enterprises.

Industry Verticals

["Industrial Manufacturing","Aerospace/Defense","Automotive"]

Competitors

Materialise; Autodesk; Velo3D

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Revenue: $2M

Major Milestones

["2017: Company founded and technology licensed from the University of Notre Dame.","2018: Commercial launch of Sunata™ software.","2019: Acquired by Siemens Digital Industries Software in November."]

Notable Customers

ITAMCO

Why this company matters

Atlas 3D developed Sunata, a cloud-based software that automates part orientation and support structure generation for direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) printers. Its core innovation is a proprietary thermal distortion analysis algorithm that predicts warping and failure points, reducing the need for manual trial-and-error in pre-print setup.

The software is GPU-accelerated and delivers results up to one hundred times faster than competing solutions, according to the company. It targets designers and manufacturing engineers at service bureaus and large enterprises in industrial manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and automotive sectors.

Atlas 3D was founded in 2017 and licensed its core technology from the University of Notre Dame. It raised $5 million in funding, with initial support from ITAMCO and investment from the Pit Road Fund. The company was acquired by Siemens Digital Industries Software in November 2019, and its technology was integrated into Siemens' Xcelerator portfolio.

The software competes with offerings from Materialise, Autodesk, and Velo3D. Its key differentiator is a fully automated, push-button workflow focused specifically on thermal distortion for metal LPBF, which addresses a major pain point in metal additive manufacturing.