Athmika was born with a rare condition. She did not have a sternum (breast bone), which protects the heart, major blood vessels and lungs. She had to be operated upon but it was not an easy surgery. The team of doctors at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, took a 3D CT scan and developed a simulated 3D model of her chest wall to practise the procedure several times before fixing a 3D-printed titanium implant in her chest.
Welcome to the brave new world of additive manufacturing, popularly known as 3D printing – the making of three-dimensional objects from a digital file. The process involves building an object by laying down successive layers of raw material. Each layer can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal crosssection of the eventual object. It is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing, which involves cutting out/hollowing out of a piece of metal or plastic. The technology, which took its first steps over three decades ago, is now catching on in India, where companies ranging from Tata Motors and JSW Steel to GE Transportation and tens of start-ups, apart from organisations such as ISRO, are reaping its benefits in the form of higher precision and lower costs. Even the fashion industry is using 3-D printing to give its exclusive clientale a customised experience. And to cater to such high demand, players such as HP, Wipro3D and Siemens Digital Industries Software are offering a suite of solutions. While the early adoption of this technology was restricted to visualising and prototyping, it has now moved on to the realm of hi-tech and precision manufacturing.
“In India, the market size for 3D printing is about ₹3,000 crore (including players who provide 3D printing solutions and services – prototyping, product manufacturing and services.) The market is growing by 40-50 per cent a year,” says Vinay Awasthi, Managing Director, HP Inc., India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
This story is from the January 12, 2020 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 12, 2020 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Picking Up The Paytm Pieces
Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma Is Back In The Trenches After Rbi's Recent Action Left Him Without A Banking Platform. There Are Still Some Opportunities, But He Will Have To Move Swiftly To Grab Them
PMS Vs MF The Big Fight
How do mutual funds and portfolio management services match up? Know the score on structure, rules, entry fees, charges, and tax perks to pick the right path for your financial journey
Four Levers Of Enterprise AI Strategy
Wide-scale private sector AI deployment and new AI-based business opportunities and ecosystems can truly supercharge the Indian economy
"Don't let a unique chance slip by"
JEFF MAGGIONCALDA | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | COURSERA
THE INCOMING DISRUPTION
The disruption in the industrial sector is still unknown, but inevitable. Companies need to wake up
THE WHEEL WHISPERER
For Manan Shah, Managing Director of MICL Group, luxury cars are not about showcasing one's wealth or status. It is about personal well-being
TRIPPING WITH TECH
A road trip is an adventure like no other. While you take in the experience, get some peace of mind with these nifty gadgets
Transforming Spaces
WHETHER YOU WANT TO REDECORATE YOUR BEDROOM OR HALLWAY, A GORGEOUS WALLPAPER ADDS FLAIR TO YOUR HOME AND ALLOWS YOU TO STAMP YOUR STYLE IN YOUR NEW ABODE
ALPHATALE
MONEY MANAGERS TO THE AFFLUENT DELIVERED ROBUST RETURNS TO INVESTORS IN THE PAST YEAR, THANKS TO THE BUOYANCY IN THE MARKETS. BUSINESS TODAY DECODES THEIR STRATEGY
"THE ALTERNATIVES SPACE CAN GROW 3X IN FIVE YEARS"
Vikaas M. Sachdeva, MD of Sundaram Alternates, talks about where India's alternative investment industry is headed