Over the course of the last one year, we have seen a lot of new and exciting news coming out from the Indian 3D printing industry. From 3D printing emblems for a popular Bollywood movie to launching India’s First Metal 3D printer, Manufactur3D has covered every news coming from India.
As India’s AM journey has already taken off, we at Manufactur3D bring you a sneak peek at some of the key events that shaped the Indian 3D Printing Industry this year. Let’s see highlights of the year 2019.
Poeir Jets Pvt. Ltd Unveils First Heavy lift Hybrid drones with 3D Printed Parts
In early this year, Poeir Jets a brand promoted by M/s Poeir Jets Pvt Ltd, an R&D subsidiary of Intech Additive Solutions, one of India’s largest service providers of metal 3D printing, unveiled the country’s first Heavy lift Hybrid drones at Aero India 2019. The launch was aimed at establishing the company as an industry leader in providing propulsion solutions to UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems).
The Heavy-lift Drones are fundamentally unmanned aircrafts with fully customizable payload options that make them suitable for a wide variety of professional applications, from Law Enforcement to Search and Rescue Operations. The company developed the following models of heavy-lift drones:
- Hybrid Drone DRE 4
- Turbo Shaft MTS 30
- Hybrid Drone DJE 30
- Urban Firefighting Hopper
Bengaluru-based Accreate Labs & Innovation to Produce 3D printed UI Panels for ISRO’s GSLV Rocket
In February this year, Bengaluru-based startup Accreate Labs & Innovation announced that it is all set to produce 3D printed User Interface Panels for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) operated Geosyncrhonous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket which would carry two Indians on voyage into outer space in the year 2022.
By its foray into the aerospace market, it has already bagged two high-profile projects – “Gaganyaan-ISRO’s human space flight programme and indigenous production of Rafale combat jets.
Mumbai-Based 3D Print World 3D Prints “Emblem” used on Akshay Kumar’s Turban in Upcoming Period Movie Kesari
Mumbai-based 3D Print World Pvt. Ltd, helped the producers of Kesari – a Bollywood movie starring Akshay Kumar, with the designing, 3D printing and metal casting of an Emblem that was used on the turbans of 21 actors in the movie including Akshay Kumar.
This was not the first time that the 3D Print World Pvt. Ltd helped producers of a movie in the use of 3D printing technology. In 2018, the Mumbai-based 3D printing service bureau also helped the producers of the movie “Gold” – also starring Akshay Kumar in the lead, design, prototype and 3D print Olympic Gold Medals which were used in the movie.
HP Inc. to Build AM Centre of Excellence in Andhra Pradesh – Signs MoU with AP Govt.
The state of Andhra Pradesh in India is slowly becoming a hub for additive manufacturing in India with large AM companies like think3D already establishing their base in the state. In March, HP Inc. announced that it will build a 3D printing Center of Excellence (CoE) in the state – a move that will benefit the entire Indian 3D printing industry.
As reported by ETtech, HP Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to build the CoE in the state. The new CoE will be equipped with HP’s cutting-edge 3D printers that can handle short run production and functional prototyping.
The pact which was signed between the Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society (APIS) and the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) is a part of the Andhra government’s vision to accelerate adoption of 3D printing in various sectors such as automotive, aerospace, defence, consumer goods, healthcare, apparel and construction.
SAHAS Softech and China-based Farsoon Technologies, UnionTech Establish Agency Collaboration in India
SAHAS Softech – a Mumbai-based additive manufacturing company announced in March that it entered into strategic partnership with two China-based companies FARSOON Technologies and UnionTech to bring global technologies to the Indian 3D printing industry.
SAHAS partnered with Farsoon Technologies for Plastic Laser Sintering (PLS) and with UnionTech for Stereolithography (SLA). SAHAS will be Exclusive partner to both the companies to manage the Application Business Development and After Sales services for the Machines, Materials and Solutions in India.
Providing more details about the partnership with the two Chinese companies, Sohrab Kothari, Co-founder at SAHAS Softech said, “The future of SLS and SLA 3D Printing technology looks very promising and is the next step to on demand manufacturing. Also Team Farsoon and Team UnionTech deliver the best technology and after-sales service around the world”.
Surat-based STPL 3D Printing Crafts 6 feet sculpture of Spiderman with Additive Manufacturing
Surat-based STPL 3D Printing – a company offering rapid prototyping & additive manufacturing services, developed a fully 3D printed 6 feet “SPIDERMAN” sculpture with extreme detail for a client in just one week. The fully 3D printed model of Spiderman was created for a traditional fine-arts manufacturer, as it wanted to decorate its new Entertainment store, opened in Surat city of the state of Gujarat, India with this model.
By taking the timeline into consideration, the digital team at STPL 3D downloaded an open source file and modified it according to the client’s need, by using Digital Sculpting. The production team took full advantage of the company’s array of 15+ FDM machines so that it could finish the project within the deadline.
The team divided the 6 feet x 4 feet Sculpture into 30 parts and completed the entire printing within just two days, then the post-processing team assembled the Spiderman in three hours with plastic welding and glue to bring it in real shape that was required by the client.
Mumbai-based 3DWare Launches new ZWax Yellow Resin with High Burnout for Jewellery Market
Mumbai-based 3DWare, a manufacturer of industrial grade SLA/DLP 3D printers, announced that it launched a new resin for the jewellery market. Known as the Zeta Wax Yellow resin, the new resin has a high burnout when compared with conventional castable resins. The new resin works as a perfect substitute to real wax in the lost wax casting process. The 3D printed models in ZWax give a clean melt-out with zero ash post-casting.
The new ZWax range of materials starts melting like wax at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius (instead of undergoing pyrolysis like conventional castable materials). The melting allows the material to escape the mould cavity at temperatures of between 600-650 degrees Celsius. This means the peak temperature in the casting cycle would be over 100 degrees Celsius lower and the duration of casting would be half of the conventional castable resin chemistries.
Gujarat Government to Open Seven 3D Printing Centres of Excellence in collaboration with US Institute of 3D Technology
The Government of Gujarat, in the presence of Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani, signed a MoU with the US Institute of 3D Technology in California & 3D Systems for establishing seven 3D printing centres of Excellence across the state of Gujarat in July this year.
Gujarat Government’s Education Department will work in collaboration with 3D Systems, one of the world’s leading 3D printing companies, and US Institute of 3D Technology to introduce the project in seven engineering colleges and technical institutes in the state.
The seven chosen institutes are Vishwakarma Government College at Chandkheda-Ahmedabad, Government Engineering College at Gandhinagar, Bharuch and Rajkot, i-Hub, MS Polytechnic at Baroda, and Kalol Government Technical Institute at Kalol. This initiative will be extended in other institutes in the coming future.
India’s First 3D Printed Modular Artificial Reef in Pondicherry, Courtesy of a Mumbai Teen
In an interesting application of 3D printing, Siddharth Pillai, a 17-year old teen from Mumbai’s BD Somani School designed and patented a system of interlocking blocks, assembling them along the Pondicherry coast to create India’s first 3D printed modular artificial reef. The reef – the largest section spans 20m – was installed two weeks ago and experts estimate that it will start hosting marine life in roughly a month.
Due to rise in the global ocean temperatures the coral reefs have been bleached. Bleached coral also stops hosting marine life, and erodes shorelines, adding to more ecological problems.
Siddharth thought he wanted to find a solution to rebuild reefs and while discussing it with his father, he was suggested to think of 3D printing. This struck a chord. He said, “I took a 45-day course in May 2018, working out a way to make the model porous, so coral can latch on to it.” He filled in the prototype mould with cement mix at home.
IIT Guwahati Scientists create 3D Printing Bioink from Muga Silk for developing Tissues & Implants
A team of scientists from one of India’s premier technical institute, IIT Guwahati, have created a 3D printing bioink with live cells using proteins from Muga silk, a variety of wild silk geographically tagged to the state of Assam in India. The team has applied for a patent for the bioink made from Muga silk protein.
This bioink can be used to bioprinting of tissues, implants and even organs at relatively lower costs. The research may help bridge the gap between patients requiring organ implants and healthy donors.
The signs are great as researchers and scientists are taking a keen interest in the technology. This interest may prove to be a boon to the Indian 3D printing industry.
Wipro3D & NDRF sign MoU for collaboration in Design for Additive Manufacturing of Aerospace Systems
Wipro3D, the additive manufacturing business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), signed a MoU with the National Design and Research Forum (NDRF) to work together and drive the use of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) in aerospace industry and to develop related industry standards.
Wipro3D, established in 2012, was a part of Wipro’s strategic initiative into the future of manufacturing. Over the years, Wipro3D has gained expertise in metal additive manufacturing by providing services & solutions to the aerospace, automotive, healthcare, defence, tooling, nuclear and many other sectors.
With this expertise at its foundation, Wipro3D, is now aiming to drive the growth of the technology in India. Through its MoU with NDRF, it will also offer competency building and advisory programmes relating to additive manufacturing technology.
IIFPT Thanjavur Scientists Develop & Showcase Food 3D Printing Technology
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur, have developed and fabricated a Food 3D printer which can 3D print cookies. These cookies were made from millets, green gram, fried gram and ajwain seeds.
The food 3D printing process takes around five to seven minutes and is followed by a post-processing technique involving a microwave drying process. The researchers also studied the nutritional value of the food to analyse the potential of customising the food according to nutritional requirements of an individual.
Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ) Collaborates with University of Wollongong (UOW) to set up 3D Bioprinting Lab
Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ), a governmental enterprise to promote medical device manufacturing in India, collaborated with the University of Wollongong (UOW) to use its 3D bioprinting techniques and set up a 3D bioprinting lab. As part of the collaboration, UOW’s development of a scan and printing package to produce 3D printed ears will be deployed in India and Australia.
The MoU was signed on 10th of September in the presence of University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings, CBE; Distinguished Professor Gordon Wallace; UOW’s Global Brand Ambassador, Adam Gilchrist, AM; and Dr Jitendar Sharma, Managing Director & CEO of Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ) and Advisor (Health) to Government of Andhra Pradesh, India. Dr Sharma is known as the ‘Med Tech Man of India’ in policy forums.
World’s Tallest 3D Printed Statue of Lord Ganesha to be Unveiled at AMTech Expo 2019
Members of the Indian 3D printing community have come together and created the world’s tallest 3D printed statue of Lord Ganesha. This statue was inaugurated at the AMTech Expo 2019, following which it was showcased in Pune and will also be touring more cities.
The world’s tallest 3D printed statue of Lord Ganesha is a 10 feet tall statue 3D printed as a single part. Its footprint is 5×5 square feet, and weighs 200 kg. It was created using a giant 1000 cubic feet 3D printer, fully made in India, and is the first 3D print coming out of this printer.
The vision of the team is to establish India’s technology leadership in the field of 3D printing. This statue demonstrates the team’s end-to-end technology expertise as a nation which they look forward and expand towards creating more such milestones in the future.
Wipro 3D and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Collaborate to Build India’s First Industrial Grade Metal 3D Printer
In a first for India, Wipro3D, the additive manufacturing (AM) business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) and the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc) developed an indigenous industry grade Metal Additive Manufacturing machine, the WINBEAM E380I.
India’s first industrial grade metal 3D printing machine, works on Selective Electron Beam Melting technology and offers higher build rate, better thermal management, higher part density as well as superior mechanical properties.
Commenting on this breakthrough in Indian Advanced Manufacturing space, Mr. Ajay Parikh, Vice President and Business Head, Wipro 3D, said, “It has been a privilege to collaborate with India’s premier institute, IISC. The country’s first Electron Beam melting powder bed fusion 3D printer, symbolizes Wipro3D’s constant effort to indigenise, expand and industrialize Additive Technology and speaks volumes about our India’s engineering and scientific capability.”
Wipro 3D launches addwize™ – An Additive Technology Adoption and Acceleration Program
In Mid-December 2019, Wipro3D, the additive manufacturing (AM) business of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) launched an Additive Technology Adoption and Acceleration Program termed Addwize™. The objective of the program is to enable organizations and institutions to systematically adopt and scale the usage of metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) for tangible business benefits.
Wipro 3D addwize™ is designed to address all phases of the adoption cycle, based on learnings obtained from running a best practice metal AM solutions business. It has the right mix of competency building content, practitioner level technical insights as well as experiential elements, to ramp up additive manufacturing adoption at the right speed and cost.
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