Additive manufacturing gathers momentum

While much of the time 3D printers are used for creating prototypes of machine components, experts believe that mass production of printed products is imminent

Indian policymakers’ focus on boosting domestic manufacturing is going beyond traditional technology. The newly announced initiative by Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw is aimed at ensuring that even small and medium enterprises adopt 3D printing technology. 

Additive manufacturing (AM), also called 3D printing, is a process where solid objects are made using layers of various materials in a predesigned form and size. Such printers can be small enough to be placed on a desk or need as much space as a plane hangar. 

Ceramic, plastic, metals and blended materials can be used in such printers. While much of the