'Indian Firms Are Only Copying Western Models Of 3D Technology' The country should start focusing on applications that are very true to Indian situation, said this expert of innovation.

3D Printing is rapidly evolving to expand its reach to sectors like aeronautics, engineering, fashion design, education, healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). The B2B landscape of several sectors are adapting itself to 3D printing, making the tool cheaper, affordable and handy enough to experiment and discover newer avenues.

In a chat with the Entrepreneur India, Tanmay Shah, who leads the innovations-leadership team at Imaginarium Pvt Ltd, spoke about how 3D printing is revolutionizing each and every sector in India.

Imaginarium provides prototypes to an assortment of industries like jewelry, engineering, automotive, architecture, consumer goods, etc. Founders of the company, set up 10 years ago, were associated with diamond and jewellery business.

3D Technology Can Revolutionize Jewellery Manufacturing

Speaking about the inception of his company, Shah said, "Around late 90s the founders of our company came across a 3D printer at some exhibition in South Africa. They could readily relate the utilization of 3D printer to their field at a time when jewellery manufacturing in India was mostly done manually. The gradually, they wondered it there can be some means to give digital design a shape to revolutionize the industry?"

It took some years for the founders to raise funds and chalk out a business plan. The company got its first-ever 3D printer in 2003.

"Our only aim was to make people try exploring technology to produce things and not solely depend on manual labour. This makes up a part of our journey and with the development of the technology we learnt about numerous ways to apply it,"he added.

Indians Need To Find Indian Solutions

Shah maintained that a lot of innovation is needed in terms of 3D technology.

"Many in the West are coming up with newer and faster ways of using 3D technology. In India people are only copying the West so far as the use and development of technology is concerned. This essentially doesn't put India in the zero innovation zone, but the country should start focusing on applications that are very true to Indian situation," he opined.

He stressed that there are lots of problems and challenges in India, which companies here are not trying to solve. They are copy pasting western models and trying to make them successful here. But, Indians need to find out Indian solutions.

Top Industrial Challenges for 3D Printing

Although 3D printing technology has been around since last 30 years but with tremendous opportunities it brings several challenges. The innovation and leadership team leader shared three major challenges faced by the 3D printing industry.

1. Awareness Awareness among its users is low and it's a major challenge as many do not the use and impact of 3D printing, he said. "So, optimal use of the technology is not happening," he added.

2. Government And Regulatory Authorities The Government is confused with the new way of manufacturing and so it is unable to classify it or reserve any kind of benefit for it, in terms of a tax concession, he added. "We pay a high tax for a machine, which is 30 per cent cheaper in other countries. The government should start taking note of this disparity and consider 3D technology as essential for the manufacturing sector in India," he added.

3. Misconceptions Around Technology: People have a lot of conceptions around 3D printing technology, which needs to be clarified in terms of its advantages and disadvantages, he stressed.