– Baishali Mukherjee 

On January 25, the Kolkata division of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) — an autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India — has launched an advanced training programme in 3D printing and manufacturing for the engineering students from West Bengal and Bihar. C-DAC Kolkata has partnered with leading institutions like MAKAUT, Nadia; Dr. B.C. Ray Engineering College, Durgapur; NIT Patna; and others for imparting sector-specific training.

The ‘Finishing School Program on 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Technology,’ is aimed at addressing the existing gap between academic know-how and industry requisition, for students to succeed in new and emerging sectors like healthcare, automotive, and construction.

The programme is all set to build the skills of 16,000 fresh engineers as well as final-year students through full-time courses. Additionally, 4,000 students will also be trained through boot camps.

In the coming months, C-DAC Kolkata plans to build eight advanced laboratories in and around West bengal. The labs will be armed with collaborative environments where start-ups, SMEs, and large industries join hands and train students to create product prototypes, cost analysis, and specifications on materials.

While skill development is the nub of the programme, the initiative also puts serious emphasis on entrepreneurship by connecting with industry stakeholders, facilitating jobs, and holding numerous workshops to desirably integrate academic learning with hands-on applications. Hence, the programme also includes an entrepreneurial training module to assist the students build the business acumen to launch their own enterprises in additive manufacturing.

Moreover, the programme will also create multimedia-based educational content to enable seamless learning across all eight laboratories. A centralised project monitoring web portal will also be implemented to enhance coordination and streamline the programme.

Comments A S Murty, Scientist ‘G’ and director of C-DAC Kolkata, “India’s 3D printing market is projected to grow to $2.76 billion by 2026, driven by the healthcare, construction, and automotive sectors. As demand in these industries rises, it is essential to equip students with the skills to manage mass customisation and fast production cycles.”

Tulika Pandey, Scientist ‘G’ and group coordinator at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, feels that time has come to build an Indian skilled force adept at 3D printing and additive manufacturing while adapting to Industry 4.0.

“The central government has allocated rupees 50 crore to implement this initiative, in order to make Eastern India, particularly Bengal and Bihar, more accessible and cost-effective for additive manufacturing. There is a growing need for collaboration between academia, industry, and the government to accelerate India’s leadership in the global additive manufacturing market,” Pandey added.

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