A
few years ago, 3D printing was an entirely alien process that seemed
impossible to think or implement. The world was happy with advanced
2D laser printing and creative imagination of the innovators was
limited to a sheet of paper or surface. In today’s scenario
however, 3D printing is a burgeoning business and has found its way
into the daily lives of young innovators too. 3Dexter has achieved
several milestones in familiarizing students with the concept of 3D
printing and giving them the freedom to create their imagination into
something real. The current times are perfect to explore and invest
in Indian 3D ventures which are set to reach $79 million by 2022.
Even with all the popularity and momentum gained, 3D printing still
is at a nascent stage in India and the possibility of growth in all
sectors is immense.
India
is a key player in terms of large scale adoption of additive
manufacturing in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. It has also
qualified to become a major beneficiary of the additive manufacturing
industry of the APAC region which is estimated to reach $5.56 billion
by the year 2025. Several foreign firms operating in this industry
are looking to establish or expand their business in the country. In
fact, global ventures like EOS and Stratasys have already begun
expansion here. As far as the domestic players are concerned, the 3D
printing market of India is largely dominated by startups. Recently
becoming the cynosure of the industry was the Halo 3D printer by
Bangalore-based Ethereal Machines which was named as the best of
Innovation Awards Honoree by CES, 2018. Also making news is the 3D
printing curriculum by 3Dexter that trains the upcoming generation
about using 3D printing for experiential learning, making changes at
the grass root level and transforming traditional labs into
innovative ones.
Despite the advantages that this technology offers to companies, investment in 3D printing technologies in India is still less when compared to other countries such as China. Thus, companies across different sectors need to invest heavily in this technology and reap the advantages that it offers. It is notable that several efforts to increase the adoption of 3D printing technology are being undertaken India. For example, the WEF has identified India as an upcoming strategic partner and plans to open a center for Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) with Reliance Industries in Mumbai. Apart from this, the Indian government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign gave a boost to the country’s 3D printing industry in the recent years. However, results can be bettered if Make in India can include an action plan specific to boosting the 3D printing industry and exploring opportunities for growth in India.
3D printing has transformed the construction industry by enabling the modern architect to create precise design models of his visualization, which facilitates quick design approval and faster customer input. For industrial construction, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology is utilized to create industrial-strength models of parts. In the field of dental technology, EnvisionTEC 3D printersare now being used in India for a wide range of orthodontic applications. CAD-based dental parts substantially reduce the material and labor costs of dental restorations while maintaining superior clinical quality. This industry is predicted to grow to $3.1 billion over the next two years. On demand jewelry printing is also gaining momentum in the Indian market. The establishment of EMCs and electronic manufacturing fund result in making India one of the key manufacturers in the Global electronic manufacturing market, especially in verticals such as automotive, consumer electronics, defense, telecom and medical applications. This also creates widespread job opportunities for graphic designers and engineers in the field of retail, manufacturing and sales. ProtoPrint is a social enterprise in the current 3D printing space in India that empowers urban waste pickers to ethically produce fair trade 3D printer filament from the waste plastic they collect. That filament is a competitively priced, ethically sourced, recycled alternative to virgin plastic for global and domestic markets. This is a perfect example of how 3D printing technology can be used for social causes.
There
are also some setbacks faced by the current 3D printing industry like
lack of awareness of 3D printing in rural areas. The entire market
should be educated first on 3D printing industry and on how it can be
used to solve day-to-day problems in an efficient manner. Also the
current range of good quality 3D printers are priced upwards Rs.
1,20,000 ($ 2000). At this price, the printers are very expensive for
the majority and only with more popularity and investment can these
prices come down by 75% for 3D printing technology to become
mainstream. Despite these, the future of 3D
printing India looks quite illustrious.
