GrabCAD
{{Short description|American software company}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{COI|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = GrabCAD, Inc.
| logo = GrabCAD logo.jpg
| logo_size = 200px
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{NASDAQ|SSYS}}
| foundation = Cambridge, Massachusetts (2009)
| founder = Hardi Meybaum (CEO / mechanical engineer)
| location = Cambridge, Massachusetts
| key_people = Jon Stevenson
(VP of Technology)
| industry = Mechanical Engineering
| products = See "Products and Solutions"
| num_employees = 81 (2017)
| homepage = [http://www.grabcad.com/ grabcad.com]
}}
GrabCAD, Inc. is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup that created a free cloud-based collaboration environment that helps engineering teams manage, view and share CAD files.
History
GrabCAD was founded in Estonia in 2009 by current CEO, Hardi Meybaum, and Indrek Narusk {{cite web|url=http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2011/08/23/from-estonia-to-boston-grabcad-looks-to-play-big-role-in-new-england%E2%80%99s-tech-future/|title=From Estonia to Boston: GrabCAD Looks to Play Big Role in New England's Tech Future|author=Gregory Huang|date=August 2011}} as a marketplace to connect engineers with CAD-related jobs. GrabCAD evolved into a community for engineers to share CAD models and moved its HQ to Cambridge, MA in 2011. According to the company site, GrabCAD was founded with the goal of bringing together all the tools engineers need to manage and share CAD files into one platform.{{cite web|url=http://blog.grabcad.com/2013/06/letter-to-the-community-from-hardi-meybaum/|title=Letter to the Community|author=Hardi Maybaum CEO|date=June 2013}}
On September 16, 2014, GrabCAD was acquired by Stratasys.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/amitchowdhry/2014/09/17/3d-printer-company-stratasys-acquires-grabcad/|title=3D Printer Company Stratasys Acquires GrabCAD|work=Forbes|date=September 2014}} Stratasys Ltd. is a manufacturer of 3D printers and 3D production systems for office-based rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing solutions.{{buzzword inline|date=June 2020}}
Products
=Community=
GrabCAD began as a Community where engineers could upload and download models from a free CAD library. As of March 2023, the Community consists of over 11,640,000 users and is over 5,570,000{{cite web|url=http://grabcad.com/|title=CAD file counter|publisher=grabcad.com|date=July 2013}} open source models. The Community also offers a range of challenges with prizes, from Ultimaker's "3D Printer Toy Design Challenge"{{cite web|url=http://3dprintingindustry.com/2013/05/09/ultimaker-3d-printer-toy-design-challenge-on-grabcad/|title=Ultimaker 3D Top Design Challenge|author=Rachel Park|date=May 2013}} to GE's "Jet Engine Bracket Challenge",{{cite web|url=http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130611-ge-challenges-makers-to-design-jet-engine-parts-3d-print-complex-components.html |title=GE challenges makers to design jet engine parts, 3D print complex components |publisher=3ders.org/ |date=June 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717032129/http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130611-ge-challenges-makers-to-design-jet-engine-parts-3d-print-complex-components.html |archivedate=2013-07-17 }} as well as pro bono challenges like ModVic's "Steampunk Wheelchair" and the "Eyes to Hear" Challenge.{{cite web|url=http://grabcad.com/challenges/eyes-to-hear-with-easy-to-manufacture-cc-glasses|title=Eyes to Hear With: Easy to Manufacture CC Glasses|publisher=grabcad.com|date=April 2013}}
=Workbench=
In April 2013, GrabCAD released Workbench,{{cite web|url=http://www.engineering.com/DesignSoftware/DesignSoftwareArticles/ArticleID/5951/GrabCAD-Workbench-Officially-Released-from-Beta.aspx|title=GrabCAD Workbench Officially Released from Beta.|author=Scott Wertel|date=July 2013}} a free cloud-based collaboration solution{{buzzword inline|date=June 2020}} that helps engineering teams manage, share, and view CAD files. Workbench is used by companies to support the design of physical products ranging from basic screws to jet engine brackets.{{cite web|url=http://www.ge.com/about-us/openinnovation|title=GE Open Innovation|publisher=GE World Wide Partners|date=June 2013}} The idea behind Workbench is to replace costly and complex solutions{{buzzword inline|date=June 2020}} that engineering teams often use when versions and revisions become hard to track.{{cite web|url=http://beyondplm.com/category/news/|title=CAD-PDM Integration, Transparency and Cloud Pain Killer|publisher=beyondplm.com/|date=January 2014}} Workbench allows multiple engineers to work on the same files at the same time without conflict. Workbench also lets engineers share files externally.
Workbench is hosted on Amazon's S3 secure server cloud architecture, and has a range of features including viewing of all major CAD file formats, file locking, local folder sync, model comparison, and management of bill of materials and revisions.{{cite web|url=http://www.engineering.com/DesignSoftware/DesignSoftwareArticles/ArticleID/7006/GrabCAD-Workbench-Expanding-Its-Influence-Across-the-Known-World.aspx|title=GrabCAD Workbench, Expanding Its Influence Across the Known World|author=Scott Wertel|date=January 2014}} Workbench users can view 3D models, as well as markup, explode, measure and pin comments, all directly in the browser.{{cite web|url=http://www.engineering.com/DesignSoftware/DesignSoftwareArticles/ArticleID/5594/GrabCAD-launches-Workbench-Beta.aspx|title=GrabCAD Launches Workbench Beta.|author=John Hayes|date=April 2013}}
=Toolbox=
Toolbox was released June 2013, which enables Workbench users to access third-party CAD applications that run on GrabCAD's platform.{{cite web|url=http://www.deskeng.com/articles/aabkpj.htm|title=AutoCAD 360, Fusion 360 now part of GrabCAD Toolbox.|publisher=deskeng.com|date=July 2013}} Currently there are four apps available from KeyShot, Autodesk, IronCAD and Solid Edge, but GrabCAD is focused on drawing in new CAD application developers to grow Toolbox's usefulness to engineers.