It’s that time of the year again when we review the year gone by and appreciate the work done by 3D printing companies in spreading awareness and driving the adoption of the technology in India.
We take stock of the top newsmakers of the year and we bring you a sneak peek at some of the key events that shaped the Indian 3D Printing Industry this year.
Indian 3D Printing Industry – Highlights of the Year 2022
IIT Madras buys Intech Additive Solutions’ iFusion SF1 Metal 3D Printer
This year got off to a perfect start with IIT Madras investing in a Made-in-India metal 3D printer from Intech Additive Solutions. Intech Additive is India’s first indigenous metal 3D printer manufacturer and this news literally set the tone for the entire year.
IIT Madras bought the iFusion SF1 metal 3D printer to aid the students and researchers there in advancing its research capabilities and developing new components for various industries.
Simpliforge Inaugurated its First Robotic Concrete 3D Printer in Telangana
Simpliforge, a Telangana- based Startup, inaugurated its first robotic concrete 3D printer in early January of 2022. The company aims to use the technology to build low-cost and sustainable housing in the region. It is already working on a couple of projects in Hyderabad and also unveiled a bigger printer towards the end of the year.
The first printer it launched can print structures up to six meters tall and nine meters wide and is capable of printing walls, roofs, and other structural elements using a mixture of cement, sand, and water.
Simpliforge plans to use the printer to build demonstration homes in the coming months and hopes to scale up production in the future. The company believes that its technology has the potential to revolutionize the construction industry by reducing the cost and time required for building houses and other structures.
PPprint partnered with Rever Industries to provide 3D Printing Solutions with Polypropylene in India
PPprint, German specialist for 3D printing polypropylene (PP), announced a partnership with Rever Industries, an Indian manufacturer of engineering filaments, to offer 3D printing solutions using polypropylene (PP) in India.
Rever Industries, in addition to being its authorised reseller, will also offer polypropylene 3D printing services to customers across India.
PPprint’s current product portfolio includes the PP filament product line ‘P-filament 721’ which is available in the diameters of 1.75mm and 2.85mm. In addition to natural, white, and black, ‘P-filament 721’ is commercially available in 8 different colours. The filaments offer low warpage and very high interlayer bonding strength. P-support 279’, PPprint GmbH launched the world’s first break-away support material specially developed for polypropylene. Additionally, PPprint developed a special 3D printing build surface ‘P-surface 141’, which enables reliable and reproducible printing of PP.
Anisoprint partnered with Sedaxis announced to grow Carbon Fiber 3D Printing in India
Anisoprint announced an exclusive partnership with Sedaxis Advanced Materials, a service and distribution partner for emerging technologies, to expand their presence and spread carbon fiber 3D printing in India.
Under this agreement Ansoprint will be exclusively distributing its continuous fiber 3D printing systems and patented technology in India via Sedaxis. The collaboration will help spread carbon fiber 3D printing in India and provide Indian companies with superior technology for the production of composite end-use parts while also assisting R&D institutes in cutting-edge composite materials and applications research.
Imaginarium partnered with Ultimaker to expand its range of 3D Printing Solutions
Imaginarium, India’s leading provider of 3D printing solutions and advanced manufacturing, announced a new partnership with UltiMaker, a global leader in 3D printing, to expand its portfolio of desktop and industrial 3D printers in India.
Netherlands-based Ultimaker merged with MakerBot earlier this year and formed a new entity named UltiMaker. The company now caters to a huge combined market and is one of the biggest brands offering desktop 3D printing solutions.
Imaginarium is already partners with top brands from across the world including some of the top companies like GE Additive for sales of their AM systems, Raise3D, Builder 3D and even with The Kanoo Group in the MENA region to offer 3D Printing in the Oil and Gas Industry. Imaginarium also has an agreement with ISRO – Indian Space Research Organisation, to become their official merchandisers.
Government of India rolled out its 3D Printing Policy
Undoubtedly, the biggest news of the year came right at the start of the year in February when the Government of India unveiled its National Strategy on Additive Manufacturing. This much-awaited India’s 3D printing policy aspires to achieve lofty goals such as contributing 5% to the global AM market with a target to add nearly US$1 Bn to the national GDP by 2025.
In short, these goals have defined India’s additive manufacturing journey for the foreseeable future. It also aspires to embody the tenets of ‘Make in India’ and ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan,’ which advocate and promote self-reliance through technological innovation and transformation.
Shree Rapid Technologies’ new Partnership brought Micro 3D Printing Technology to India
Shree Rapid Technologies, an enabler of leading additive manufacturing solutions, announced a new partnership with Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF), a global leader in micro-precision 3D printers, to bring precision micro 3D printing to India. This collaboration brings yet another cutting-edge 3D printing technology to eager Indian customers.
With Micro 3D printing applications spanning a wide range of industries, BMF printers offer ultra-high resolution, accuracy, and precision enable more intricate, exact, and replicable parts for all sectors.
The micro 3D printing market in India is largely untapped, and Shree Rapid Technologies hopes to fill that gap with an industry-leading solution through this new partnership. BMF 2 micron series, 10 micron series, and 25 micron series 3D printers are now available in India.
Indian Army Engineers built Concrete 3D Printed Houses for Jawans
The Indian Army’s Military Engineering Services (MES) built two concrete 3D printed houses for jawans in three weeks using 3D Construction Printing Technology. These concrete 3D printed houses, constructed in South-Western Air Command in Gandhinagar, are the first-of-its-kind structures in India.
The Indian Military Engineering Services collaborate with Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions, a Chennai-based Startup, for the construction of the 3D printed houses having a built-up area of around 700 square feet. These houses are are disaster-resistant and satisfy the Zone-3 earthquake specifications.
DELTASYS E-FORMING installed a Concrete 3D Printer at IIT Bombay
Deltasys E-Forming, a Belgaum-based Developer and manufacturer of 3D printing machines, revealed that it delivered an indigenously developed concrete 3D printer to Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB). The concrete 3D printer has a maximum build volume of 1 cubic meter and is capable of building strong and resilient concrete structures.
The 3D printer is under the administration of the Structural Evaluation and Materials Technologies (SEMT) Lab Department of Civil Engineering. The aim of the lab is to use this printer to study the technology, research & develop compatible and sustainable materials. This printer will be utilised for material research applications.
WOL3D inaugurated India’s First Sustainable 3D Printing Experience Centre
WOL3D, a leading 3D printing solutions provider from India, inaugurates India’s first Sustainable 3D Printing Experience Centre in Lalbagh, Mumbai. For the first time in India, WOL3D’s 3D printing experience centre brings 3D printing closer to consumers. Visitors can tour the centre and walk around to get a first-hand feel of these technologies all the while learning about it.
The 3D printing experience centre brings together more than 12 different 3D printing technologies at one place including Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), HP’ MultiJet Fusion (MJF), PolyJet Printing (PJP), ColorJet Printing (CJP), Metal 3D printing technologies, and Concrete 3D printing.
IISc Researchers develop a new low-cost alternative to produce Metal 3D Printing Powder
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), one of India’s leading technology and research institutes, identified and developed an alternative low-cost technique to produce metal 3D printing powders.
“We have an alternative, more economical and inherently scalable route for making metal 3D printing powders, and the quality of the final powders appear to be very competitive when compared with conventional gas atomised powders.”
– Priti Ranjan Panda, a PhD student at IISc’s Centre for Product Design and Manufacturing and one of the authors of the study
A majority of the metal 3D printing technologies use powder materials which are fused together with the help of lasers. An important characteristic of these powders is its morphology. However, despite the widespread use of atomisation processes to create the powders, it results in poor yield, moreover it is expensive, and is inflexible in the types of materials it can handle. The new technique provides an alternative to atomisation, the common technique to forming metal powders.
AMTZ inaugurated PYRAMED building with a new 3D Printing Center of Excellence on World Health Day
On the occasion of World Health Day, Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone Ltd., in Visakhapatnam inaugurated a centre of excellence designed in the form of a pyramid and is named as PYRAMED – reflecting the shape and the focus of the facility on medical devices.
This building houses the world’s first WHO Collaborating Center for Health Innovation, the Indian Society of Assembly Technologies (I-SAT), and a 3D Printing Center of Excellence.
PYRAMED’s 3D printing center of excellence will be equipped with a variety of cutting-edge 3D Printing technologies, including Ceramic Binder Jetting, SLA 3D Printing, and Metal 3D Printing. This COE is charged with the mission of incubating 25 Startups, filing ten patents, and training 200 students in 3D Printing technology. Along with 3D Printing technologies, the facility also houses multiple traditional manufacturing technologies such as CNC Ultrasonic Welding and Laser Welding.
THINK3D launched SINTERIZE to offer 3D Printing Services in the United States
THINK3D, one of India’s largest rapid prototyping facilities offering 3D printing and traditional manufacturing services, announced the launch of its sister-concern SINTERIZE in the USA, to offer 3D printing services to companies in the United States and Europe looking to outsource manufacturing work to India.
Right now, all orders submitted on the SINTERIZE website will be fulfilled by THINK3D in India. However, THINK3D intends to bring on numerous service providers from across South East Asia to meet the diverse needs of its consumers.
“We have plans to roll out an online ordering process and a custom ERP to automate the entire end-to-end workflow. Our goal is to reach $100 million in revenue in the next 3-5 years.”
– Kishore Karlapudi, Co-Founder & CEO Sinterize
Manufactur3D Magazine Launch “Unlock Additive, Unleash Additive” – How India’s Additive Industry is poised for growth in this decade
Manufactur3D, India’s premier media organisation on 3D printing, released its latest magazine – AM SYSTEMS, which covers the five core components of 3D printing technology namely 3D Printers, Materials, Software, Post-Processing & 3D Scanners. It looks at these five components through the various brands operating in India.
The highlight of the magazine is the cover story – Unlock Additive, Unleash Additive. It talks about the various new developments in the Indian AM space that makes the Indian market an attractive prospect for Indian as well as foreign brands. It conveys that the Indian Additive Industry has now unlocked and will unleash itself in this decade.
Some of the top brands and their offerings in India serve as a testament to the ever-growing Indian AM industry. Though not an exhaustive coverage of brands, it showcases the various product offerings in India.
NCAM organised India’s first-ever National Conference on 3D Printing in Medical Devices and Implants
The National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM), the independent entity setup by the Government of Telangana and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted the first-ever National Conference on 3D Printing in Medical Devices and Implants at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.
The one-day national conference on 3D printing featured exhibitions of the most recent 3D printing technology, panel discussions on the most recent trends, applications, and challenges of this technology in medicine, and a round table where doctors, industry leaders, and academic experts discussed the road map for developing an ecosystem for additive manufacturing in medicine.
“India has a huge opportunity in the 3D printing segment to become a dominant player. During the pandemic, we observed several young entrepreneurs display their innovation and use 3D printing to quickly develop parts of ventilators and other devices.”
– Hon’ble Minister Sri K T Rama Rao
Rapidproto Labs added EOS P 396 SLS 3D Printer to offer wider Digital Manufacturing Solutions
Rapidproto Labs an emerging additive manufacturing service provider from Tamil Nadu, India added EOS P396 – a selective laser sintering 3D printer, to its fleet of 3D printing systems to offer a wide range of digital manufacturing solutions.
With this new addition, the company will be catering to the growing needs of functional prototyping and low volume production from its customers.
Rapidproto Labs Private Limited (formally Rapid 3D Technologies) provides end-to-end digital manufacturing solutions that leverage Additive manufacturing (3D Printing), 3D Scanning & Reverse engineering to reduce the product development cycle, enhance prototyping capabilities, improve production efficiency and maximize supply chain flexibility to our customers.
India Cements and Tvasta partnered to explore Affordable Housing Projects in India
The India Cements Ltd., Chennai-based cement manufacturing company, and the tech Startup Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a technology partnership. This new partnership will boost the efforts towards developing affordable housing solutions in India.
This was a significant collaboration this year as it is possibly the first time in the construction industry that a leading legacy company has partnered with a Startup for technology that provides cost-effective construction methods and promises a quick turn-around.
The MoU was signed on 25th of May by Ms. Rupa Gurunath, whole-time Director, India Cements, and Vidyashankar C, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Tvasta.
The two companies agree to collaborate on spreading the construction 3D printing technology in India by engaging in dedicated R&D activities and developing raw material formulations for 3D printing applications. They will also collaborate closely on key projects that develop and deliver affordable housing solutions. Both companies plan to use technology to create sustainable building solutions such as 3D printed houses or structures.
Alliance University and Wipro 3D to introduced a new MBA degree program in Smart Manufacturing
Alliance University, a private university in Karnataka, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wipro3D for a collaborative MBA Degree program in ‘Smart Manufacturing and Digital Leadership.’
Digital transformation has recently been given a boost in numerous companies around the world, leading to an increased demand for a workforce with competency and skills in smart manufacturing. Aeronautics, automotives, electronics, healthcare, and renewable energy are just a few examples of industries where it’s an urgent necessity.
In order to ensure high resilience, improved operational efficiency, predictive maintenance analytics, and outage mitigation, these industries emphasise the importance of process automation and manufacturing digitalization. Competencies in digital manufacturing, business management, and implementation methods are all needed to meet their standards.
And so, Alliance University, in collaboration with Wipro3D, launched a new programme in smart manufacturing because conventional BTech and MBA programmes do not teach students this critical skill.
DELTASYS E FORMING installed another Concrete 3D Printer at IISc Bengaluru
DELTASYS E FORMING successfully delivered and installed a concrete 3D printer at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. The 3D printer is now being used for research purposes at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST). This year a number of educational institutes bought concrete 3D printers indicating a push towards research in the field as well signifies a positive attitude towards concrete 3D printing in India.
Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST) was established in 1974 as ASTRA (Application of Science and Technology for Rural Areas). It is an inter-disciplinary research and technology development centre of IISc aimed towards promoting sustainable technologies tailored to suit local conditions of resource availability and habitation.
The new concrete 3D printer will be studied under the guidance of assistant professor Dr. Souradeep Gupta who will be working on various sustainable material for concrete 3D printing.
Godrej Construction and Tvasta to offer indigenous 3D Construction Printing Technology in India
Godrej Construction, the real estate arm of Godrej & Boyce – the Godrej Group’s flagship company, announced its partnership with Tvasta, an IIT-Madras alumni Startup, to introduce and commercially deploy an innovative 3D construction printing (3DCP) technology in India.
Godrej Construction and Tvasta will develop sustainable infrastructure projects, housing solutions, disaster relief structures, national defence related applications, and various other public amenities in India and around the world, inspired by ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
Godrej Construction and Tvasta have already collaborated to develop a proof-of-concept to address the growing needs of India’s real estate and infrastructure sectors. The bus shelter was 3D printed in just 32 hours and assembled on-site in 8 hours.
To encourage the adoption of circular economy principles in the construction industry, Godrej Construction and Tvasta have created for the first time a very sustainable concrete mix design that includes approximately 30% recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) sourced from concrete waste debris and recycled at the Godrej Recycled Concrete Plant in Vikhroli, Mumbai.
BCN3D announced a new partnership with Shree Rapid Technologies in India
BCN3D, the Barcelona-based 3D Printer manufacturer, announced a new partnership with Shree Rapid Technologies (SRT), one of India’s largest providers of 3D printing and 3D scanning solutions. With BCN3D’s advanced 3D printing technologies, this collaboration will help manufacturers drive innovation, double productivity, cut costs, and streamline workflows.
SRT saw a synergy with BCN3D in growing the Indian Additive Manufacturing industry by providing a technology that would catapult manufacturers into the future of AM, with the backing of multiple decades of 3D Printing experience.
BCN3D has been able to double productivity, reduce costs, and help manufacturers grow their businesses exponentially with their exclusive IDEX technology-based (Independent Dual Extruder) FFF 3D Printer.
3D Systems and AIPMA partnered to promote Adoption of Additive Manufacturing in the Plastics Industry
3D Systems (India) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AIPMA’s AMTEC to promote the use of additive manufacturing in the plastics industry. With over 20,000 member companies, AIPMA is India’s oldest and largest plastics association.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Deelip Menezes, Managing Director of 3D Systems India, and Patrick Dunne, Vice President of Advanced Application Development at 3D Systems, as well as Kishore P. Sampat, President of AIPMA, and Arvind Mehta, Chairman of the AIPMA Governing Council.
Lodestar3D to now offer Nexa3D solutions in India
Lodestar3D, a leading provider of additive manufacturing solutions based in Bengaluru, India, became the authorised reselling partner of Nexa3D, a manufacturer of ultrafast industrial resin 3D printers. Lodestar3D now offers Nexa3D solutions in India and will be in charge of selling and supporting Nexa3D machines throughout India.
Lodestar3D has been providing industrial 3D printers and services to technology consumers for over a decade. In India, it has a diverse portfolio of industrial 3D printers and expertise in a variety of 3D printing technologies ranging from polymers to metals. By offering Nexa3D solutions in India, Lodestar3D is expanding its portfolio even further.
Agnikul inaugurated India’s First Facility for 3D Printed Rocket Engines
Agnikul Cosmos, an Indian space-tech Startup, announced the opening of its Rocket Factory-1, the country’s first private facility dedicated to building 3D printed rocket engines at scale.
N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, and S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO and Secretary, Department of Space, inaugurated the unit at the IIT Madras Research Park.
Agnikul Cosmos also unveiled the Rocket Factory-1. This factory houses an EOS M400-4 metal 3D printer, as well as a slew of other machines, allowing for the end-to-end production of a rocket engine under one roof. The factory is designed to produce two rocket engines per week. Agnikul partnered with EOS, a leader in polymer and metal 3D printing systems, last year to accelerate in-house 3D printing of rocket engines. The company intends to create 3D printed rocket engines for its own Agnite and Agnilet rocket engines.
VIT-SEDAXIS CoE for Additive Manufacturing inaugurated to boost 3D Printing technology in India
The VIT-SEDAXIS Centre of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing was formally inaugurated in July to help make AM mainstream within the Academic, R&D, and SME/Start-up communities. Delegates from academia/research and development, industry, and government attended the inauguration ceremony of the CoE for Additive Manufacturing.
The Centre is the result of a collaboration between a prestigious academic institution such as the Vellore Institute of Technology in Chennai and Sedaxis Advanced Materials, their Industry Partner and a provider of AM Solutions/Services. The centre is located on Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road in Chennai, inside the VIT Chennai campus. It will serve to be a significant boost to 3D printing in India.
The Centre also collaborated on projects with leading institutions such as IITs, NITs, and IISc to demonstrate the potential of the Centre’s select hardware and software infrastructure to support their research needs. It will also play an important role in VIT Chennai’s extensive industry outreach initiatives, where current and prospective industry partners will be able to use the Centre’s AM resources for industry projects and services.
India’s First 3D Printed Cornea Developed by IIT Hyderabad & LVPEI
Researchers from the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), a comprehensive eye health facility with its main campus located in Hyderabad, the Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad, and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology worked together to create India’s first 3D Printed Cornea from human donor corneal tissue.
The 3D printed cornea is completely indigenously developed, natural, and contains no synthetic components; it is also free of animal residues and safe for human use. Researchers in India have successfully 3D printed an artificial cornea and transplanted it into a rabbit’s eye for the first time.
Researchers created a unique biometric hydrogel using de-cellularised corneal tissue matrix and stem cells extracted from the human eye as the background material for the 3D printed cornea.
Intech Additive and BARC 3D Print Miniature Metal Components
Intech Additive Solutions, a leading end-to-end solutions provider in Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) systems, Design for AM and AM Software, collaborated with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), a multi-disciplinary Nuclear Research Centre of India, to successfully design and 3D print miniature metal components.
Intech Additive team used its indigenously developed iFusion LF series of printers, that boast of their capability to manufacture small to large metal parts for multiple industrial applications.
Equipped with Intech’s very own software AMOptoMet and AMBuilder, it was possible to achieve “first-time-right” scenario while printing the miniature components.
IISc Bengaluru and CELLINK will advance 3D Bioprinting Research in India
CELLINK, a leading global 3D bioprinting company, is collaborating with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, to establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) to advance 3D bioprinting research in India on the heart, bone, cartilage, and cancer. The Centre for Excellence (CoE), the first of its kind on the Indian subcontinent, would be housed at IISc’s Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering in Bengaluru (BSSE).
According to a statement issued by IISc, the center will be providing researchers with access to 3D bioprinting technology, allowing them to move more quickly on critical applications with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes.
In August, an agreement was signed to formalize the partnership. The use of additive manufacturing processes on living cells, growth factors, and/or biomaterials to create biomedical parts, frequently with the goal of mimicking the properties of natural tissue, is known as 3D bioprinting. 3D bioprinting covers a wide range of bioprinting methods and substances. Tissue and organ models can now be printed using bioprinting to aid in drug and therapy research.
Divide By Zero introduced its All-New Large Format AION NX 3D Printer
Divide by Zero Technologies (DBZ) introduced the AION NX 3D printer, which represents the next frontier in large format hybrid 3D printing in India. AION NX caters to the needs of pattern and mould makers, large component manufacturers in the automotive, defence, and aerospace industries, as well as R&D innovators.
The AION NX has a large bed size allowing manufacturers to print large components up to 1 metre long in a single setting. It also has custom extrusion heads and hybrid machining capabilities, resulting in an 80% cost savings for polymer 3D printing (as the machine uses direct pellet extrusion 3D printing) and a 70% reduction in cycle time for CNC machined parts.
AION NX was developed by DBZ as part of the “Make in India” campaign to address the challenges faced by the R&D and small volume manufacturing sectors, which need to reduce prototyping and manufacturing lead times while ensuring component quality and finish are up to standard.
Sinterit partnered with Sedaxis Advanced Materials to introduce its SLS 3D Printing Systems in India
Sinterit, a pioneer in SLS 3D printing solutions, announced a ground-breaking partnership with Sedaxis Advanced Materials Pvt. Ltd. in India, to further expand the reach and accessibility of its affordable SLS 3D printing systems in India and around the world.
Sedaxis Advanced Materials Pvt. Ltd will invest in the broadest range of printers in Sinterit’s portfolio as part of their commitment, and will have the Lisa PRO, Lisa X, and NILS 480 in their recently launched VIT-Sedaxis AM Centre of Excellence in Chennai, India.
Military Engineering Services 3D Printed a Runway Controller Hut at Pune Airbase
The Military Engineering Services (MES) unveiled a first-of-its-kind 3D printed runway controller hut at the Pune Air Force station. This controller hut was built in just 30 days using construction/concrete 3D printing technology. Lt Gen Harpal Singh, Chief Engineer of the Indian Army, inspected the new structure.
The novel structure includes a 3D printed concrete foundation and wall panels, as well as a precast ground-floor roof. The upper floor panels are supported by steel girders and encased in toughened glass. The upper-floor roof is made of Galvalume and PUF panels.
IIT Guwahati constructed a 3D printed sentry post for the Indian Army using 3DCP technology
As part of an indigenous research and development programme, IIT Guwahati built a 3D printed sentry post for the Indian Army. According to a defence press release, the Army’s engineer wing can set up the sentry post at its intended location within 24 hours.
The R&D program was carried out in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this year between the Eastern Army Command and IIT Guwahati on developing cost-effective and sustainable defence infrastructure for the Army.
“Construction time at site will be only 24 hours for an engineer section. 3D printing technology can be an alternative to conventional construction methods which has many limitations like longer construction time, availability of material at site etc.”
– Lt Col Mahender Rawat, Defence spokesperson, Indian Army
Deep tech Startup Prayasta launched an implant-grade silicon 3D printer at IISc
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and deep tech hardware Startup, Prayasta, launched a 3D printer for implant-grade silicon and will jointly work to accelerate the translation of customizable soft tissue implants from research to commercialization.
The Startup claimed that it developed the world’s first 3D printer for implant-grade silicone, which has now been installed at the Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, IISc.
“We are excited to join hands with Prayasta as it offers a production-ready 3D printing technology for elastomers such as silicone, and can positively impact the quality of healthcare delivery.”
– Navakanta Bhat, Dean, Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences, IISc
Currently, the Prayasta is running animal studies on 3D silicone implants, after which it will enter the clinical trial. Vikas Garg, co-founder, Prayasta shared that they have also developed prostheses that are external to the body and expect to commercialise the same in the next six months.
Intech Additive Solutions showcased its new iFusion325 LPBF 3D Printer at Formnext 2022
Intech Additive Solutions, a pioneer in Additive Manufacturing (AM) and metal 3D printing solutions, exhibited its iFusion325 LPBF Metal 3D Printer at Formnext 2022, the largest Additive Manufacturing exhibition held in Frankfurt from November 15 to 18.
The machine is designed to address the challenges that manufacturers face, such as rising costs, excessive material waste, longer manufacturing processing times, and inconsistent part quality. This machine will benefit businesses in a variety of industries, including aerospace, defence, general engineering, education, tool and die, medical, space, and others.
Additive Manufacturing addresses critical issues by providing an alternative and sustainable manufacturing method. Given this, the iFusion325 has the largest build envelopes in its class, single and multi-laser configurations with full-field scanning, and an optimized Cost-per-Part (CPP) comparable to traditional manufacturing techniques. With the iFusion325, the print process is more productive, producing accurate, high-quality printed parts. The machine is capable of producing a wide range of materials and metal alloy powders, including Aluminium, Titanium, Copper, Stainless Steel, Inconel, and others.
Indian Army built 3D printed bunkers for troops in Eastern Ladakh that can withstand Tank Fire
The Indian Army announced that it constructed 3D printed bunkers along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. These are the first of their kind in India, and they are said to withstand tank fire from close range.
Military Engineering Services (MES) and start-ups, including those from IIT-Gandhinagar and IIT-Madras, have developed 3D printed structures of varying sizes and capabilities, the smallest of which can accommodate two personnel. According to defence sources, successful trials against a T-90 fire from 100 meters have also taken place in the Western or the Desert sector.
The MES plans to deploy permanent 3D printed shelters, such as bunkers and houses, beginning next summer in shifts near forward locations along the Line of Actual Control and International Border, from Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh to desert regions.
Wipro 3D launched its first Industrial Grade FFF 3D Printer
Wipro 3D, India’s leading provider of Additive Manufacturing Solutions, launched the Wipro 3D F300-2, its flagship industrial grade 3D printer, operating on the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology. This is their first product in its line of indigenously developed printers to be announced in the coming future.
To ensure user safety and high-quality 3D prints, this flagship state-of-the-art 3D printer includes features such as automatic platform levelling, magnetic print bed, self-cleaning nozzle, and dual filtration.
To expand the sales and distribution network for their printer line-up, Wipro 3D partnered with Redington Limited and Kaizenat Technologies. Both these organisations will use their respective distribution networks to promote the printer across the country and bring it front of potential industrial customers.
TIIC, Sedaxis and VIT Chennai collaborated to Accelerate AM Technology Adoption in MSMEs
The Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC), Sedaxis Advanced Materials Pvt. Ltd., and VIT Chennai signed a landmark agreement in November, to collaborate extensively to accelerate AM technology adoption and awareness among the thousands of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu. This announcement comes just a few months following the establishment of the VIT-SEDAXIS CoE for Additive Manufacturing in July of this year.
This agreement aligns with India’s National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing, which calls for increased collaboration among government institutions, academia, and industry to promote AM at the grassroots level.
Mr. Godavarty was delighted at the opportunity to support the AM adoption journey of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu via:
- Trainings to be conducted in collaboration with VIT
- Value-added services within the VIT-SEDAXIS CoE for AM, and,
- Infrastructure upgrade opportunities with TIIC support.
Materialise together with EOS India and Delta Rapid 3D signed MoU with Presidency University to conduct AM Consultancy Projects/Trainings in India
Materialise, the Belgian global leader in 3D printing solutions, signed a multi-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between EOS GmbH India Office, Delta Rapid 3D and Presidency University, to conduct Industrial AM Consultancy projects/trainings in India for Industries and train students through its industrial AM Centre of Excellence (COE) on AM part screening, DFAM, identify components for AM.
The parties involved EOS GmbH India Office, the Germany-based leading supplier for responsible manufacturing solutions via industrial 3D printing technology, Delta Rapid 3D, an Industrial Additive Manufacturing solutions provider, and Presidency University, a premier private university located in Bangalore will also create business cases for education institutes and industries to adapt industrial AM solutions for 3D printing.
Through this new MoU, Materialise will play a critical role in spearheading AM advancement in India’s Higher & Technical Education sector through private-public collaboration projects.
Altem Technologies Introduced Stratasys F770 3D printer at its new 3D Innovation Centre in Bengaluru
Altem Technologies, one of India’s leading 3D Digital Solutions resellers, unveiled and introduced the Stratasys F770 3D printer in India last week at its new 3D Innovation Centre in Bengaluru. The event was held in front of the company’s esteemed clientele as well as industry leaders from the aerospace, automotive, consumer product, education, healthcare and other sectors.
Leaders from Collins Aerospace, Capgemini, Intel, Honeywell, Stove Kraft, Tata Elxsi, Schneider, CABS, ISRO, Peekay Steel Casting and other organisations graced the event and interacted with the other participants.
In addition to the large-format 3D printer, Altem Technologies also inaugurated its 3D innovation Centre in Bengaluru, located in Koramangala. All attendees were led to the innovation centre to explore, first-hand, the Stratasys technologies on display.
Manufactur3D, India’s leading media organisation, was also invited as a media entity to witness the event and experience the machine and Innovation Centre. Abhimanyu Chavan, director of Manufactur3D, attended the event and interacted with the Altem team.
Conclusion
Manufactur3D has been publishing such a list every year since 2018, and it has become an annual tradition for us to do so in order to highlight the work of the Indian 3D Printing Industry.
2022 was undoubtedly an eventful year, with many new accomplishments and milestones achieved by industry leaders as well as Startups. While we have listed more than 35+ accomplishments, we are sure we have missed many others due to the sheer volume of stories coming out of the country.
If you are a 3D printing company based in India and would like to be included in such future lists, kindly contact us and we will gladly include your stories. Manufactur3D also provides news, interviews, guest posts, and advertising opportunities; for more information, please mail us now.
About Manufactur3D: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D Printing. Visit our Indian Scenario page for more updates on 3D Printing News from India. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
