The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) inaugurated the first National Additive Manufacturing Symposium (NAMS) 2024 on Thursday, marking a significant step in India’s push towards advanced manufacturing technologies.

MeitY Secretary S Krishnan inaugurated the event, which featured the release of an Additive Manufacturing Landscape Report and unveiled an indigenously developed additive manufacturing machine. The symposium aimed to provide an overview of India’s Additive Manufacturing (AM) ecosystem.

In his speech, Secretary Krishnan emphasized the potential of AM to enhance manufacturing efficiency across various sectors and capture new markets. He called for stronger connections between the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) in Hyderabad and other organizations to develop a robust network supporting the industry.

The event builds on the National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing (NSAM) released in 2022, which aims to harness AM technology for industrial growth, innovation, and inclusive development. Currently, seven ccenters dedicated to AM technologies are operational, focusing on areas such as optical chip packaging, medical devices, and 3D food printing.

NAMS-2024 saw participation from diverse stakeholders including industry associations like ELCINA and ICEA, government ministries, state representatives, and international companies such as L3D, Divide By Zero Technologies, EOS GmbH, Stratasys Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Company, NIKON SLM Solutions, General Electric and Philips Additive.

The symposium featured extensive panel discussions providing a comprehensive overview of India’s AM ecosystem, highlighting the country’s commitment to emerging manufacturing technologies. These discussions involved representatives from industry, academia, and government, underscoring the collaborative approach to advancing AM in India.