Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions, a 3D printing Startup that specialises in construction 3D printing in India, has built the first 3D printed office in Kolkata at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, a nationalised shipyard. This is the first in a series of potential large-scale construction projects for GRSE using 3D printing.
The Structure was inaugurated on December 31, 2022, by Giridhar Aramane, IAS, Defence Secretary, Government of India. GRSE would use the 3D printed modular site office Project, which was built as a technology demonstrator, to monitor Anti-submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs).
3D Printed Office in Kolkata
In 10 days, the 3D printed modular site office was designed and built. It is 180 square feet in size and has a customised design that provides a comfortable working space for 6 to 8 people. For this project, an Offsite Construction Methodology was used.
The structure’s modules were printed in 2.5 days at Tvasta’s factory in Chennai. It was delivered to the site in modules, allowing for quick assembly and finishing as well as efficient labour use.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) is a Mini Ratna Category 1 company that has delivered 108 warships to India and other countries so far. It is an essential component of Indian Defense preparedness to produce the most modern warships for the country’s self-reliance through indigenization.
“This project depicts the necessity and capability of advanced construction technology in the infrastructure development of the country across various sectors. The execution strategy for the current project incorporated an optimal use of durable materials to ensure robustness and sustainability, thereby generating less wastage and a lower carbon footprint. Tvasta is currently focusing on modular construction such as this structure which will be a useful solution for quick infrastructure and ‘assemblable buildings’.”
– Adithya VS, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions
Construction 3D Printing in India
Construction 3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing in which material is added layer by layer to create a structure. This is a purely Industry 4.0 era technology that is operated through an automated system and can be referred to as ‘digitised construction.’ 3D printing is a modern technology that has been designed to significantly automate the construction process.
Tvasta, founded in 2016 by IIT Madras alumni, developed a ‘Made in India’ technology focusing on leveraging Automation and Robotics in 3D Printing Platforms for faster, cheaper, and more sustainable construction methods than conventional technologies. The company is currently based in Chennai and Bengaluru.
Tvasta has also constructed India’s first 3D printed house on the IIT Madras campus, demonstrating its capabilities and feasibility in the physical realisation of a structure. This pilot structure, together with the indigenously developed technology, represents the start-efforts up’s to highlight a potential alternative solution to India’s housing and infrastructure challenges.
Tvasta also successfully built India’s first 3D printed monument, “Ananta Siras,” for The India Cements Ltd.’s 75th anniversary in Chennai last year.
