MDA AUG-SEP 2018 FINAL AUG-SEP 2018 DIGITAL | Page 27

Cover Story
What is the future of 3D printing around
the globe? Which are the sectors where 3D printing
can prove to be instrumental?
According to Wohler’s Report 2016, the market size for
3D printing industry stands at $5.165 billion as of 2015,
and is projected to surpass $30.19 billion by 2022. A few
noteworthy advancements to watch out for are innovations
in direct metal printing which will yield faster and more
capable results disrupting the conventional manufacturing
system and shorter design to manufacture cycles led by
almost 40 times faster machines significantly impact the
scalability and affordability. As more and more industries
adopt this technology, 3D printing is slated to change the face
of consumerism. Perhaps more importantly is another trend
- 3D printers becoming mainstream, and everyday products
like cutlery, jewellery, decor furniture and possibly even
food and designer clothing could be printed right within the
confines of your home. Automotive, aerospace, white goods and even consumer
electronics manufacturers are taking full advantage to rapidly
introduce more products to the market within a relatively
short span of time. 3D printing also finds applications in
healthcare. The medical fraternity is touting it as a revolution
in patient specific solutions, with customized prosthetics and
implants being made available to more and more people with
the help of 3D printing.
What are the prospects of 3D printing in
India?
Development of 3D printing in India has matured in a short
time without much support from external sources putting it
on the global map. This is merely a result of the vision and
perseverance of people who’ve worked towards bringing this
revolutionary technology here. Our next step is to experiment
with various technologies to make end use products/parts.
Industries like Aerospace, Medical, Dental, Automobile and
FMCG are already using this revolutionary technology for
end products. The market cap for 3D printing is advancing
steadily year on year, with the adaptation of this technology
very rapidly.
How is 3D helpful in businesses
designing and in the manufacturing of
products?
The ability to create objects from digital data implies that
3D printing has virtually limitless applications in almost
every field. It is changing the way manufacturers think about
designing, prototyping or even production. Today it is widely
used for rapid prototyping, by the virtue of its impressively
short design-to-market turnaround time. Because the the
technology offers so much flexibility, it is much easier to
realise designs which are stronger and more interesting.
Using it extensively for prototyping accelerates the product
development cycle, making it easier to efficiently explore
multiple options. And low volume production radically
improves the chances of launching a new product on a daily
basis for focused product teams.
With technology taking a quantum leap
forward across different platforms how
has the 3D printing industry grown in
the recent past?
According to Wohlers Report 2018: In 2017, the AM industry,
consisting of all AM products and services worldwide, grew
21% to $7.336 billion. The growth in 2017 compares to 17.4%
growth in 2016 when the industry reached $6.063 billion
and 25.9% growth in 2015. The total industry estimate of
$7.336 billion excludes internal investments from the likes of
Airbus, Adidas, Ford, Toyota, Stryker, and hundreds of other
companies, both large and small.
What are the challenges of the industry?
Materials. There are so many technologies available under
the umbrella of 3D Printing but all are confined to certain
materials. Material innovation is quite a lengthy process
and requires an adequate infrastructure. To produce smaller
quantities of newer material is not commercially viable, and
hence its proving to be quite a challenge. Another challenging
task facing designers and engineers is having to navigate
through the vast number of technologies and materials that
are available in order to determine the solution that is best
suited for their application.
Have campaigns like ‘Skill India’ or
‘Make in India’ helped the industry?
These campaigns have definitely been instrumental in
throwing light on the manufacturing expertise that companies
have in India, something that was being outsourced to other
countries. The next step to being more conducive would be
the recognition of 3D printing for its manufacturing capacity
with regulatory policies and standardisation that is offered to
every other industry.
https://www.imaginarium.io
august-september 2018 | Global MDA Journal | 27