New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- The 3D printing industry in India is in an early growth stage, with increasing adoption across education and manufacturing, but it still represents only a small share of the global market. The technology, once mainly used for prototyping, is now applied to large-scale production, on-demand manufacturing, and product customization.
WOL3D, has focused on building awareness and infrastructure for 3D printing in India. The company operates large 3D printing farms, integrates AI into design and production, and engages with educational institutions to support practical learning.
In a conversation with TechCircle, Rahul Chandalia, Director, WOL3D discusses how assumptions about 3D printing in India have changed, where the technology is making a real impact, and the challenges around awareness and adoption. He also explains how AI and automation are shaping smart manufacturing.
Edited Excerpts:
What assumptions about the 3D printing business in India have you had to unlearn?
3D printing is a process that creates physical objects from digital designs. For example, if someone wants to make a drone, they can design it using CAD software such as SOLIDWORKS, or they can use AI tools that generate designs from written instructions. By describing the size, placement of parts like fans and cameras, and other requirements, AI can produce a ready-to-print design.
Designing used to be a major challenge, but AI and modern tools have made it much simpler for both enterprises and individuals. 3D printing was originally used mainly for prototyping, where manufacturers created sample models to test form and function before moving to traditional mass production with molds and dies.
Today, 3D printing has expanded far beyond prototyping. Large-scale 3D printing farms with hundreds of thousands of machines operate continuously to produce a wide variety of products. The technology now plays a key role in smart manufacturing, enabling on-demand production, small-batch runs, and product customization.
AI is integrated not only in design but also in the printing process itself, making production faster, reducing material waste, and improving efficiency. As a result, 3D printing has become an essential part of modern manufacturing systems.
3D printing is transforming manufacturing, but where do you think the hype is exaggerated, and where is it truly making an impact, in India?
A few years ago, there was a lot of talk about how 3D printing would change everything. At that time, though, the products and machines available could not deliver on that promise. The hype was there, but the technology wasn't mature enough to match it.
Today, 3D printing is in a very different phase. The machines on the market now provide the quality and speed that were missing in the past. What was predicted 20 to 30 years ago, that 3D printing would play a central role in the future, is now visible in practice. Both the price of the machines and the improvements in their performance are finally supporting those early claims.
Machines are now available starting at 13,000. This lowers the barrier for businesses and individuals to adopt the technology. It allows companies to use 3D printing as a platform for product development at a fraction of the cost that was once required. In the past, developing a new product demanded significant investment, often limiting innovation to larger enterprises with deep budgets. With 3D printing, the cost of development has dropped substantially, opening the door for faster experimentation, prototyping, and production across industries.
When it comes to adopting 3D printing in India, what do you see as the biggest challenge? Is it the cost of machines, the mindset, the knowledge, or the infrastructure?
The biggest challenge for the 3D printing industry is awareness. Many people do not know the technology exists, that it is accessible, or that it can produce the objects they imagine. For the past eight years, our main focus has been building awareness through exhibitions, online and offline platforms, and other channels. Once people become aware, adoption and use increase, because the technology itself delivers on performance. The issue is not capability, but awareness.
Are there any specific industries in India that are investing in 3D printing, not just experimenting, but actually building processes around it?
3D printing is becoming widely used in education. Earlier, schools had computer labs where students learned basic tools like MS-DOS, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Today, many schools in India have Atal Tinkering Labs, also known as Innovation Labs or 3D Printing Labs. These labs give students access to 3D printers, allowing them to experiment and create. The government has announced plans to establish such labs in 50,000 schools over the next three to five years. This shows growing adoption across schools, colleges, and higher education institutions.
The trend is similar to the introduction of computers in schools. Students first experienced computers in classrooms, later bought them for personal use, and eventually used them professionally. With 3D printing, students are learning in schools and colleges, then applying it at home to start businesses or develop design and innovation projects.
Adoption is also increasing in manufacturing. In bike production, 3D printing is often used to create the first prototype before moving to molds and full-scale manufacturing. A major Indian furniture brand that exports to 40 countries has installed over 100 printers to produce ready-to-assemble furniture, similar to the IKEA model. This shows that 3D printing is now being integrated into both education and manufacturing at scale.
How does India's adoption of 3D printing compare to that of Western countries, China, or Europe?
India's role in the global 3D printing industry is very small at the moment, only about 0.3% of the worldwide share. At this level, the country is not even visible on the global map of 3D printing. The government, however, has made it clear in its budget and long-term plans that it wants India to reach 5% of the global industry within the next three years.
That target is ambitious, but it also reflects why more industries in India are beginning to adopt 3D printing. The technology speeds up production, reduces costs, and makes processes more efficient. It also supports sustainability and allows design changes and trends to be tested much faster than with traditional methods.
This stage can be seen as the beginning of India's 3D printing journey. In Western countries, 3D printing is already well-established, and their growth will likely be stable but limited. India, by contrast, is just starting to build its presence. The potential growth path is steep: moving from 0.3% to 5% of the global industry would mean large increases in employment, production capacity, and innovation. It would also open the door for new enterprises and broader opportunities across many sectors.
For India, the story of 3D printing is one of early-stage growth with significant scope for expansion, driven both by government policy and by industry adoption.
Looking ahead, which do you think will matter more for the future: faster printers, cheaper printers, or smarter materials?
The focus needs to be on developing smarter materials that allow faster production. A good example is Agni's first robot, which was made with 3D-printed metal. At the moment, this kind of material is expensive, but if costs fall, the impact could be significant. Entire industries such as automobiles, shipbuilding, and even rocket manufacturing could shift heavily toward 3D printing once materials become more affordable.
Smarter and cheaper materials are the key drivers right now. Research is underway in multiple areas. In biomedicine, new materials are being designed for use in medicines and surgical procedures. In construction, cement-based 3D printing is being tested, making it possible to print entire houses directly. These developments show that different industries are actively experimenting with materials suited to their specific needs.
The future direction of 3D printing lies in combining these new materials with faster and more sustainable printers. Progress in this area could redefine manufacturing processes across sectors and expand the role of 3D printing far beyond its current applications.
How do you see AI and automation integrating with 3D printing hardware and software in the manufacturing industry?
In the past, creating product designs required designers to spend hours working point by point on a computer, relying on their technical skills. Today, that process can be replaced with a few commands in an AI application. With these tools, a user can describe what they want, for example, a dog's body with a dolphin's face, and the AI will generate a 3D model that can be sent directly to a printer. One of the biggest challenges in 3D printing was always who would create the designs, and AI makes this process much easier.
On the manufacturing side, large-scale 3D printing setups are now managed through centralized software. For example, a farm of 250 printers can be monitored and controlled from a single platform. This software shows in real time which printer is producing which product, how fast it is working, when the product will be ready, and how much material is being used. Instead of manually checking each printer, everything can be managed through one system.
With AI-enabled design and centralized management, 3D printing is moving into smart manufacturing, where both creativity and production efficiency are supported by technology. This is why the industry sees it as an increasingly significant category.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from TechCircle.