Guides / Software

Print farm software: what a shop actually needs.

There are two kinds of tools: ones that sell the print and ones that run the printer. A shop needs both. Here's the checklist.

Selling the print

  • Instant quotes from a file. Upload an STL, STEP or 3MF and get a price from your own rates. Check it handles every material you print.
  • Quote requests by email. A lot of jobs still arrive as an email with a file. Can it turn those into quotes?
  • Follow-ups. A reminder on quotes nobody answered wins back jobs.
  • Payment. Card payments, and the choice to wait for the money before printing.

Running the job

  • One order board. Every job from quote to delivery, with each part's progress.
  • Your printers on the same screen. Live status for the printers you own, not just one brand.
  • A queue. Jobs that wait for a free printer with the right material loaded, and start on their own.
  • Labels on the floor. A box or bin label that anyone can scan to see what goes inside.

After the print

  • Customer updates and a tracking page, so you aren't answering "is it ready?"
  • Shipping labels without retyping the address.
  • Invoices and a way into your accounting app.

Questions to ask before you sign up

  • Does it price resin and SLS, or only FDM?
  • Does it work with the printers you already own?
  • Does it charge per printer, per order or per seat?
  • Can you bring your customers and past orders in?
  • Is there a free trial on your real orders?

Compare the options

We put Layers3D next to AutoQuote3D, DigiFabster, Printago and SimplyPrint on our compare page, including where they're ahead.

Questions

Quick answers

What is print farm software?

Software that runs a group of 3D printers: sending jobs, watching progress and keeping a queue. Shop software adds the selling side: quotes, orders, payments and customer updates.

Do I need separate quoting and farm software?

Not if one tool does both. Many shops run two or three apps and copy orders between them by hand.

Quotes, orders, printers and invoices in one place.

Founding Shops get 20% off any plan for their first year, with 14 days free. 25 spots, until November 30.

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