Additive manufacturing gathers momentum

Indian policymakers’ focus on boosting domestic manufacturing is going beyond traditional technology. The newly announced initiative by Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw is aimed at ensuring that even small and medium enterprises adopt 3D printing technology. 

Additive manufacturing (AM), also called 3D printing, is a process where solid objects are made using layers of various materials in a predesigned form and size. Such printers can be small enough to be placed on a desk or need as much space as a plane hangar. 

Ceramic, plastic, metals and blended materials can be used in such printers. While much of the time 3D printers are used for creating prototypes of machine components, experts believe that mass production of printed products is imminent. 

Such 3D printers offer flexibility in size and can be used for a variety of products without requiring heavy investment in land and manufacturing facilities. 

The global 3D printing market is projected to grow from $15.26 billion in 2021 to $68.71 billion in 2028, at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24 per cent over the forecast period, 2021-2028, according to a research report by Fortune Business Insights. 

The automotive sector has been the traditional user of AM technology. Now, healthcare and the aerospace and defence verticals are among the leading users of 3D printing technology. “Incumbents of these verticals have an emphasis on accuracy, enhanced product designing, reliability, shorter time to market, and economical production processes,” says another report by Researchandmarkets. “In developing economies, such as Brazil, South Africa, and India, machining shops have managed to adopt alternative business models by installing 3D printers and offer related services, such as 3D printing materials, filaments, 3D modelling, and 3D printer software.”

Desktop printing is becoming popular for toys, education, jewellery and gifting products, while the aerospace industry uses more complex systems to make lightweight components with new materials, which are more durable. 

The AM industry is growing slowly but steadily in India, but the high cost of technology, materials and trained manpower has hampered rapid adoption. The policy announced by India is in line with several other governments in the US, Japan and South Korea, which have invested heavily in AM technologies. 

The AM industry is growing slowly but steadily in India

The National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing (NSAM) hopes to build domestic capabilities, which will reduce cost and improve adoption. Reduction of import dependency of 3D printers by encouraging domestic manufacture of printers will support affordability. NSAM has set an objective for India to reach 5 per cent of global market share and add $1 billion to the GDP by 2025. NSAM will “create a conducive system for design, development and deployment and to overcome technical and economic barriers for global AM leaders to set up operations in India.”  Such a strategy will be aided by the presence of a strong engineering ecosystem created by the automotive industry. 

Self-reliance in the defence sector will require higher levels of domestic manufacturing with faster production cycles. AM technologies will enable the defence sector to become a more agile producer of equipment. 

The health care sector is expected to be a growing user of AM technologies. 3D printers can produce surgical models of various organs; develop implants like limbs, stents and dental bridges; and even certain types of medical instruments. 

A National Centre for AM will coordinate the promotion of such technologies between industry, innovators and researchers. Protection of intellectual property for domestic scientists will be an important goal of the policy. 

There are several AM companies in India in both the private and the public sector. For AM to grow faster, an effort to skill and create relevant technical professionals will be equally important.