EXPLORING LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES

Additive Manufacturing is at the cusp of industrialisation globally. It has moved from being used only in Prototypes to be a part of every company’s manufacturing plans, says Sridhar Balaram, Founder & MD of Intech Additive Solutions

- Niranjan Mudholkar

How’s been the journey so far?

In 2011, when we were recovering from the aftermath of the Lehmann Brothers, I developed a hunger for innovation and started thinking out of the box. While I was researching out on Laser Induction Hardening, I hit upon Laser Sintering. The technology was so exciting with limitless possibilities and many application ideas poured in. I had sleepless d sleepless nights for more than a week. The fact that this technology was novel and in line with my line of work and interest motivated me to initiate a start-up in 2012.

We started off as service provider in metal 3D printing with our first machine in 2014 with a great urge to achieve novel heights and to be a first of a kind service provider. As we made our journey in this technology we realised that there were gaps to be filled in this technology. To fill the gaps, we started working on our first Software, AMOptoMet, a parameter optimization software that provides right parameters with better surface finish thereby reducing the time on Design of Experiments (DOE) and R&D for building 3D parts “Right First time”. This software is a first of its kind in the Additive Manufacturing (AM) industry which entailed the need for the AM technology in India,

As we moved ahead with the machines servicing the AM industry, A strong urge under Make In India concept fuelled us to start the manufacturing of our own 3D printing machines in 2017 and after three years of R&D, we launched the first commercial-grade Metal 3D printer “iFusion” designed, developed and manufactured by us - to the AM community during Imtex 2020.