SAP & UPS Join Forces To Transform Industrial 3D Printing

German software company, SAP SE (DE:SAPG) (NYSE:SAP) , has undertaken an important step toward supporting the transformation of industrial 3D printing into a seamless distributed manufacturing process. It has joined forces with UPS to launch a website designed to draw other companies into a partner program. The partner program will test new industrial 3D printing methods and assist other companies benefit from a first-mover advantage.

This agreement follows a distributed manufacturing collaboration formed by SAP and UPS. The partnership involves integration of SAP solutions for the extended supply chain and Internet of Things with the UPS additive manufacturing and logistics network.

SAP has taken both initiatives in an effort to expand the number of co-innovation partners working to assess, validate, and improve upon methods to optimize supply-chain production and management.

Sap believes that customers who start co-innovating and streamline supply chains in the early-stage production environment actually get products to market faster and more cost effectively.

SAP Distributed Manufacturing can unlock unique opportunities to transform design, manufacturing, logistics processes and business models.

SAP AG ADR Price and Consensus

Major 3D printing players have been diligently stepping up their efforts to carve a niche in the industrial market. This follows the gradual shift of the 3D printing industry toward the production of end-use products for industrial clients, in the face of weak demand from the consumer business.

However, the transition of 3D printing, from prototyping to manufacturing, will require integration with business IT systems. In an effort to optimize efficiency and technology adoption through end-to-end integration, HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is joining the SAP co-innovation program.

We believe that SAP’s initiative and efforts of other innovators in the alliance will help 3D printing move into mainstream manufacturing and streamline supply chains very soon.

SAP currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A couple of better-ranked stocks in the same space include Aspen Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:AZPN) and Callidus Software Inc. (NASDAQ:CALD) , both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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