How AM Workflow Software Automation Reduces Waste and Maximises ROI in Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is all about precision, flexibility, and innovation. But without the right workflow automation, those benefits are often buried under manual steps, missed data, and rework.

That’s where AM workflow software automation makes a measurable difference - not just in convenience, but in waste reduction, cost savings, and ROI.

Let’s look at how.

Where Waste Happens in AM

Even the best AM teams run into waste across three areas:

• Material waste from unnecessary test prints or rework

• Time waste from manual updates, scheduling, and data entry

• Process waste from disconnected systems that don’t talk to each other

Every time a job gets stuck waiting for input, or someone re-uploads a file to another system, you’re bleeding margin.

How Automation Fixes It

Modern AM workflow software like Authentise Flows connects your tools and systems - from build prep and production to QA and post-processing.

Here’s how automation reduces waste and boosts ROI:

Benefit	Impact
🔁 Fewer Reworks	Real-time process monitoring helps flag issues early
♻️ Less Material Waste	Intelligent routing + reuse data supports smarter builds
🕒 Faster Turnaround	Auto-scheduling and real-time dashboards keep jobs moving
💸 Lower Overhead	Fewer manual steps = less labour + fewer mistakes
📊 Data-Driven Decisions	Closed-loop feedback improves process tuning over time

Sample Stats from the Field

Metric	Before Automation	After Automation
Avg Time per Print Job	12.5 hrs	9.3 hrs
Material Waste	14%	6%
Manual Touchpoints	8+ per job	2 or fewer
Rework Rate	18%	7%

Suggested performance improvements based on pilot deployments and industry benchmarks.

Better for the Planet - and the Bottom Line

Reducing waste in AM isn’t just good for your margins. It also reduces your environmental footprint.

Workflow automation supports:

• Smarter reuse policies

• Improved energy efficiency

• Cleaner data trails for compliance and sustainability reporting

Want to go deeper? Read more in our post: Connecting Data Across the AM Workflow: Streamline, Trace and Scale in 2025

Ready to Automate Your Workflow?

If you’re still stitching together spreadsheets and manually updating schedules, you’re missing out on serious gains.

Let’s change that.

👉 Schedule a discovery session and see how Authentise Flows can reduce waste, increase ROI, and future-proof your AM operations.