From Tools to Trust: Redefining SaaS in Additive Manufacturing

For much of the additive manufacturing industry’s history, software has been treated as an accessory, an interface layer wrapped around machines, materials, and motion systems. In recent years, many companies have labeled themselves “SaaS-enabled,” but the underlying operating model has remained largely transactional. The pattern has been simple: sell the hardware, license the software, and move on.

That model is no longer sufficient.

With the acquisition of Markforged’s Eiger platform, Nano Dimension is advancing a different vision for how software-driven manufacturing companies should operate. We want to place software at the center of value creation, accountability, and long-term customer outcomes.

SaaS as Infrastructure, Not a Feature

In modern industrial environments, particularly aerospace, defense, automotive, and electronics, software is no longer judged by UI or feature velocity alone. It is evaluated on whether it can serve as durable infrastructure that is secure, auditable, and capable of scaling across global operations.

As additive manufacturing moves from prototyping into production, the volume and value of data generated across fleets, facilities, and workflows increases materially. Software platforms that can normalize, secure, and operationalize this data gain a structural advantage, enabling continuous improvement, higher utilization, and more predictable outcomes at scale.

Markforged’s cloud-native software platform reflects this shift. It does not simply prepare files for printing. It governs how parts are designed, approved, produced, inspected, and traced across distributed manufacturing environments. This transforms software from a productivity enhancer into a system of record.

For Nano Dimension, this directly supports a broader thesis. The future of additive manufacturing will be defined less by standalone machines and more by integrated, software-led platforms that customers can build long-term operational confidence around.

Recurring Value Over Episodic Revenue

Traditional additive manufacturing business models have been driven by episodic purchasing cycles. Capital equipment purchases are followed by irregular service and material sales. While effective in early market stages, this structure limits visibility, predictability, and long-term alignment with customer success.

A SaaS-centric operating model changes that equation.

By embedding software deeply into production workflows such as quality assurance, fleet management, inspection, compliance, and security, Nano Dimension and Markforged are creating ongoing value that compounds over time. Customers are not just buying access to tools. They are adopting a continuously improving operating layer that becomes harder to replace the longer it is used.

This naturally shifts the relationship from vendor to partner and from short-term transactions to long-term engagement.

Security, Compliance, and the Cost of Failure

In high-consequence industries, software adoption is driven as much by risk reduction as by efficiency gains. Intellectual property protection, data sovereignty, traceability, and compliance are not optional features. They are prerequisites.

The combined Nano Dimension and Markforged portfolio reflects a deliberate focus on secure-by-design software architectures. From encrypted data flows to role-based access controls and auditable production records, the platform is built to meet the expectations of customers operating in regulated and sensitive environments.

This emphasis fundamentally differentiates serious manufacturing SaaS platforms from lighter-weight software offerings that may optimize convenience but fall short under operational scrutiny.

Scaling Without Linear Complexity

One of the defining advantages of a true SaaS operating model is the ability to scale without proportional increases in complexity or cost. As customers expand fleets, facilities, or global footprints, software becomes the mechanism that maintains consistency, quality, and governance.

By unifying hardware, materials, and software under a single digital framework, Nano Dimension enables customers to scale additive manufacturing programs with confidence. This occurs without fragmenting workflows or introducing new layers of operational risk.

For the company itself, this model supports disciplined growth. It enables clearer product roadmaps, stronger customer retention dynamics, and a more resilient foundation for long-term expansion.

A Platform Mindset for the Next Phase of Additive Manufacturing

The acquisition of Markforged is not simply an expansion of product offerings. It reinforces Nano Dimension’s platform-first strategy. Software is no longer treated as a secondary layer but as the connective tissue that ties together performance, reliability, security, and scalability.

As additive manufacturing continues to mature, the companies that endure will be those that operate less like hardware vendors and more like infrastructure providers. These are companies that deliver systems customers can trust, build upon, and rely on year after year.

That is the model Nano Dimension is advancing, and it reflects a broader redefinition of what SaaS means in industrial additive manufacturing today.