3D Printing Technology: Things you should know

When I came to know about 3D Printing technology a few years ago, I was highly intrigued. It's potential to change the educational system had captured my attention. 

Through this article, I want to talk about different aspects of 3D Printing in India, mainly what I have observed. Throughout this journey, how we have utilized this technology for a positive transformation is also discussed. 

3D Printing Technology: By far, the simplest definition for 3D Printing is a technology used to create three-dimensional objects using a digital file. The deposition of material layer-by-layer makes it an additive manufacturing technique.

 We begin our workshop and training session by explaining these basics about 3D Printing. Of course, some exciting facts revolving around this technology are also discussed. For example: the technology is being in numerous Hollywood movies like Avengers and Avatar for creating props. 

While going through a study titled "The State of 3D Printing" by Sculpteo, a few facts captured my special attention. One of them being that the companies have increased the investment in 3D Printing to 70 percent (2018), which is much higher than what it was in 2017: just 49 percent. 

For the majority of businesses, it reflects the opportunities in this domain. For us, it gave an overview of how Indian students could have a great future if they started to learn 3D Printing from their schools. 

To prepare this 29-page report, Sculpteo had interviewed 1000 respondents, out of which only 9 percent were from Asia, whereas 60% and 25% of respondents were from Europe and America, respectively. This low percentage showed that we still have to go a long way to make it a mainstream thing in India. 

Coming to its applications in other aspects of education, the technology could be used to print STEM models. 

Here, at Robotech, we implement it at several levels. Our first focus while teaching about 3D Printing is to encourage the students to print mainly STEM models. They can print other items, such as pop culture merchandise and fancy vital chains, but our modules revolve mostly around STEM. This way, the students not only become proficient in 3D Printing but also get their own set of educational kits. It's a perfect example of killing two birds with a single stone.

Thanks to our new online partner, My STEM 3D, we are now able to offer 3D printed kits to students and teachers across India. This new venture by 3D printing enthusiasts is also working for a similar goal: merging 3D Printing with STEM Education. Our team can easily upload the products to their portal, with all the necessary information. 

We have kept the prices of these 3D models extremely nominal. After all, the focus is more on making these models more accessible rather than earning profits. 

I had always wondered why technology is still in infancy in India, despite its so many applications in education. After talking to several schools and also parents, I got my answer: a lack of awareness. 

Most of the respondents mentioned they knew about this technology but didn't know about its applications in educational institutions, as the image of 3D printers is that of industrial equipment. Our one-day and three-day workshops in schools are an attempt to change this mindset. 

Some schools and parents also thought that 3D printers are costly, probably more than 1 lakh. This was true 5-6 years ago, at least in India. But, it's possible to get an entry-level 3D printer for just Rs. 20,000. The low price doesn't mean it is of poor quality. Such basic printers are suitable for learners and even to print STEM kits, something we have discussed above. 

While discussing the scenario of 3D Printing in India, I would like to appreciate the efforts of the Indian Government. Their think tank Niti Aayog started funding schools to establish Atal Tinkering Labs. These labs have given a chance to acquire tech skills related to 3D Printing, embedded systems, and other cutting edge technologies. Even govt-aided schools can establish ATL in their premises through this initiative. The best part about these labs is that students are creating something innovative using the available resources and technologies. A prominent example is that of sewage water for producing electricity. In such projects, the students need 3D printed parts to make their models functional and aesthetically appealing. 

Different schools are now realizing the potential of 3D Printing, which is why they connect with us for establishing a technology lab or to simply get 3D printing equipment. We are also in talks with various colleges that want to introduce this technology for their students.

 I hope that this information will help you understand this technology better. I will soon share more insights on the future of 3D printing soon.