The worldwide 3D printing market has been increasing steadily. But 3D printing adoption rates vary across developed and developing countries. Several market research studies suggest that India is one of the developing countries that witness higher adoption of 3D printing products and services.
The report highlights that the growth of the Indian 3D printing market is primarily driven by enterprises in the automotive, electronic, healthcare, aerospace, and defense sectors. But 3D printing technologies have been gaining popularity among students, hobbyists, and engineers in the country.
Also, the Government of India aims to establish the country as a global hub for additive manufacturing in the near future. Hence, the growth of 3D printing in India is being driven by a variety of factors. At the same time, 3D printing adoption in India is being affected by several challenges.
What Drives and Affects the Widespread Adoption of 3D Printing in India?
Industrial Applications and Adoptions
At present, 3D printing products and services are consumed mostly by enterprises in India. Enterprises have been investing in 3D printing technologies to switch from subtractive or conventional manufacturing to additive manufacturing.
They use 3D printing to launch new products regularly by facilitating rapid prototyping and concept testing. Also, leading automotive companies adopt 3D printing in India to support part customization and low-volume production.
At the same time, many companies and startups invest in R&D to produce next-generation machine tools. Hence, enterprise users have been driving the growth of 3D printing by creating new use cases regularly.
Many companies have already started manufacturing 3D printing machines in India. They manufacture machines driven by various 3D printing technologies for individual and industrial customers. Most of these companies acquire clients by launching affordable 3D printers.
At the same time, many manufacturers outperform competitors by adding innovative features to 3D printers. However, many suppliers allow customers to buy 3D printers produced by both local and international companies.
Most of these companies supply 3D printing machines and materials online. Hence, customers in India now have the option to buy 3D printers and 3D printing materials for various projects regardless of their current location.
National Strategy on Additive Manufacturing
In February 2022, the Government of India announced its National Strategy on Additive Manufacturing. The strategy aims to create India-specific additive manufacturing technologies – machines, materials, and technologies.
Also, the strategy aims to make India the global hub for additive manufacturing through the development of 50 new products and the creation of 100 new startups. The strategy will definitely push the 3D printing adoption in India in the future.
As noted earlier, the growth of the Indian 3D printing market is driven mostly by large enterprises and manufacturers. In addition to investing in 3D printing machines and materials, such companies set up dedicated 3D printing facilities. But small businesses and startups find it challenging to leverage 3D printing due to constraints related to skill and resources.
Many companies help small businesses and startups overcome these constraints by providing professional 3D printing services. In addition to allowing customers to choose from various 3D printing technologies, they print parts by in-house technicians.
Many small businesses and startups get professional 3D printing services to create prototypes and functional parts without escalating upfront and ongoing costs. Likewise, individual users leverage 3D printing services to convert their ideas into solid three-dimensional parts without investing in 3D printing machines and materials.
3D Printing Training
India is one of the leading software service exporters in the world. But 3D printing technologies are completely different from widely-used digital technologies. Many students and engineers in India are still not familiar with 3D printing technologies.
Many educational institutions and 3D printing companies make 3D printing accessible to students and hobbyists by providing 3D printing training. In addition to joining 3D printing training programs, students these days have the option to attend many 3D printing conferences and workshops.
The training options prepare students to use, maintain, and operate 3D printers efficiently and safely. Also, it creates opportunities for them to experiment with various 3D printing machines and filaments. The training providers contribute immensely towards increasing 3D printing adoption in the long run.
Existing and Emerging Challenges
Unlike developed countries, developing countries have to address many existing and emerging challenges to boost 3D printing adoption. In India, 3D printing adoption is being impacted by several issues and challenges.
- Lack of access to additive manufacturing resources
- High cost of 3D printing machines
- Limited availability of 3D printing materials
- Complex post-processing activities
- Absence of opportunities to acquire and hone 3D printing skills
Many enterprises have been overcoming these challenges by investing in research and development (R&D). There are many instances when students and hobbyists in India surprised others by creating innovative use cases of 3D printing technologies.
But the long-term adoption of 3D printing in a developing country like India will be marred by such challenges. The 3D printing strategy announced by the government must focus on overcoming these barriers to make India a global 3D printing hub.
Conclusion
The 3D printing adoption rate in India has been increasing consistently. At present, enterprises from various sectors leverage 3D printing technologies to switch from subtractive manufacturing to additive manufacturing. Likewise, 3D printing technologies create opportunities for students and hobbyists in India to showcase their talent.
The 3D printing policy announced by the government would contribute immensely towards popularizing 3D printing products and services. But there are many challenges that hold back the widespread adoption of 3D printing in India. The governmental policies must address these challenges proactively to make India a global hub for additive manufacturing.
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