Telangana to be hub for additive manufacturing, says KTR

3D Printing will find immense use in medical devices, aerospace and defence. The sector can benefit due to the presence of these three ecosystems in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: Telangana will ensure quick approvals to additive manufacturing (AM) solutions created here and treat startups as partners and not just as service providers, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said, adding that the State would support the advancements in technology to ensure that they were built in India for the world.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Additive Manufacturing Technology (AMTECH) expo in Hyderabad, he said Telangana was poised to become a hub for additive manufacturing, which is the use of 3D printing to make functional components, including tools and production parts. City-based Skyroot Aerospace, which recently launched the country’s first private rocket, had used a 3D printed engine in it, he pointed out.

3D Printing will find immense use in medical devices, aerospace and defence. The sector can benefit due to the presence of these three ecosystems in Hyderabad. The sector is poised to grow to $65 billion in a few years. Telangana has already established the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) on the Osmania University campus and in the past one year the centre has worked on many projects, he said.

Telangana will look to implement 3D printing solutions in Government departments, more particularly in the engineering and construction segment, Rama Rao said, adding that the State has set up system enablers like the NCAM, T-Hub, TSIC, WeHub, RICH, TASK and T-Works. About 1,500 startups have benefited so far. The State also has an Emerging Technologies Wing to promote use of new technologies in governance.

APVS Reddy, Chief Executive Office of Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation, a lot of reforms have been taken up in the certification processes. The effort is to be proactive rather than reactive in the certification process, he said, adding that it is willing to handhold the companies working in the additive manufacturing segment. The focus is on design adequacy and test adequacy as they relate to the overall safety. He stressed the need for higher spending for augmenting the test infrastructure for a lower turnaround time. He called additive manufacturing a sunrise sector.

IT and Industries Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said AM is a priority for Telangana and all efforts will be made to ensure that the Hyderabad ecosystem evolves further.

Emerging Technologies Director L Rama Devi said Telangana began work on 3D printing five years ago. The demand is growing significantly but there is a need for promoting it among the MSMEs. Focus should be on skilling, affordability and innovation. Availability of the materials should be considered as some have to be imported and some may belong to the restricted materials category. These will consume more time.

Minister @KTRTRS delivering inaugural address at amtech Expo in Hyderabad. https://t.co/hk9vf19dRR

— Minister for IT, Industries, MA & UD, Telangana (@MinisterKTR) December 2, 2022