Advancing India’s Aerospace Future with Additive Manufacturing & Advanced Materials

Meshmix Media, in collaboration with IMS Foundation and Laghu Udyog Bharati Karnataka, is proud to host the fourth session of our exclusive Knowledge Series spotlighting India’s Aerospace & Defence sector.

 Date: 13th August
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
 Theme: Additive Manufacturing & Advanced Materials in Aerospace

Join us as we bring together industry leaders and innovators to explore how 3D printing, composites, and lightweight alloys are transforming aerospace manufacturing in India. From R&D breakthroughs to industry-scale adoption, our speakers will share insights, challenges, and opportunities shaping the sector.

Featured Speakers

• Dr. Calvin Samuel – Facility Manager, Polymer Additive Manufacturing Facility, D-CoE, IISc
• Dr. Vishwas Puttige – CEO & Director, amace solutions
• Mr. Gaurav Relhan – CSO & Head Aerospace Strategy Consulting, AeroDef Nexus

Quick Recap
Experts from Amace Solutions, Aerodef Nexus, and the Design Center of Excellence discussed how additive manufacturing (3D printing) is transforming India’s aerospace and defense sectors by enabling the production of complex, lightweight components with quick turnaround times. They outlined the business case for adopting this technology, including market projections, certification requirements, and implementation strategies, while addressing challenges such as scaling production, maintaining quality, and bridging the skills gap. The panelists highlighted various applications across industries—from spacecraft parts to tooling improvements—and emphasized the importance of government support, industry–academia collaboration, and specialized training to position India as a significant player in the global additive manufacturing market.

Summary

Aerospace Manufacturing and Defense Innovation
Dr. Vishwas Puttige introduced Amace Solutions, a subsidiary of the Ace Micromatic Group that has transitioned from CNC machines to additive manufacturing. Their machines are now used in aerospace, defense, and space-tech applications, including parts for Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan missions. Gaurav Relhan described his role as Chief Strategy Officer at Aerodef Nexus, a Bengaluru-based aerospace company launched in March that aims to be a leader across multiple verticals in India’s aerospace and defense sector. Dr. Calvin Samuel explained his work at the Design Center of Excellence, a Karnataka government project focused on training engineering students to develop industry-ready skills.

Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace Applications
Dr. Vishwas, Dr. Calvin, and Mr. Gaurav explained that additive manufacturing builds objects layer by layer from digital designs—unlike conventional manufacturing, which removes material from a larger block. They discussed how additive manufacturing is particularly valuable for aerospace applications due to its ability to create complex geometries, reduce weight, and produce low-volume, customized parts with quick turnaround times. The experts recommended using additive manufacturing for low-volume production involving high complexity and customization, while conventional manufacturing remains better suited for high-volume, simple geometries. For aircraft weight reduction, they suggested using lightweight materials compatible with additive manufacturing (such as titanium, Inconel, and aluminum alloys), combining multiple parts into single complex components to eliminate fasteners, and applying topology optimization to remove unnecessary material.

Aerospace Additive Manufacturing Growth Outlook
Gaurav shared that the global aerospace parts manufacturing market is valued at $966 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $1.5 trillion by 2033, with additive manufacturing’s share projected to increase from 0.9% to 3.7% in the next 7–8 years. Dr. Vishwas explained that when consulting clients, Amace Solutions first ensures there’s a viable business case by quantifying the value proposition—making components better, stronger, lighter, or faster. He outlined their end-to-end approach, from design optimization and simulations to printing infrastructure and post-processing, noting that clients can decide which parts of the process to keep in-house versus outsource, depending on their investment and risk appetite.

Aerospace 3D Printing Certification Challenges
Dr. Vishwas noted that certification requirements vary by domain, with about 70% of printing in India being for prototyping, which typically doesn’t require certification unless requested by the end user. Dr. Calvin highlighted the need for academia to collaborate with aerospace companies on joint research projects and internships to bridge the knowledge gap. Mr. Gaurav described how his consultancy helps clients develop additive manufacturing adoption roadmaps, including part selection, prioritization, and supply chain integration. Dr. Vishwas identified the qualification process as the biggest challenge for scaling 3D printing in India’s aerospace industry, noting that it can take 5–6 years for parts to be certified as airworthy, though he remains optimistic as India now has local equipment manufacturers, material suppliers, and process expertise.

Additive Manufacturing Adoption Challenges
Dr. Vishwas discussed challenges such as scaling production while maintaining quality and integrating with existing infrastructure. Gaurav suggested growth strategies for the aerospace sector, emphasizing government investment in R&D, infrastructure development, workforce upskilling, and establishing IP licensing marketplaces—initiatives that Aerodef Nexus is supporting. Dr. Vishwas shared that his company’s 3D printing machines, launched about 4.5 years ago, are now used by customers including ISRO and DRDO, with applications spanning die-mold manufacturing, healthcare, aviation, space, defense, and automotive sectors.

Indian Manufacturing’s Global Additive Revolution
Dr. Vishwas explained that his company’s 40-year history and 8,000 customers give manufacturers confidence in their long-term viability. He observed that European and US markets are increasingly interested in Indian manufacturing products, with India now recognized for high production quality and productivity—not just low-cost manufacturing. Dr. Calvin described how additive manufacturing benefits the tooling industry through conformal cooling channels in injection molding, while Gaurav explained how Aerodef Nexus is addressing the skills gap by offering specialized training in additive manufacturing. Dr. Vishwas also highlighted that additive manufacturing is ideal for drone production because it enables lighter parts, consolidated assemblies, and continuous 24/7 production with minimal intervention.

Advanced Manufacturing in the Aerospace Industry
Dr. Calvin classified plastics into three groups: basic plastics, engineering plastics, and high-performance plastics. Materials such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) are used in aerospace for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and high temperature resistance. He discussed various manufacturing technologies, including FDM and automated fiber placement, as well as metal foams used in spacecraft for thermal management—while noting challenges in directly 3D printing these foams. Gaurav shared that the Indian metal additive manufacturing market is projected to nearly double to $500 million by 2030, with aerospace and defense commanding 33% of the market share, supported by government policies targeting 5% of the global additive market by 2026. Dr. Vishwas addressed the idea of “dark factories” for additive manufacturing in India, stating they are possible but likely several years away due to the country’s risk-averse approach and the high investment required. He confirmed that “additive as a service” is already happening, with approximately 60–70 metal printers and 200–300 polymer printers operated by service bureaus.

3D Printing Technologies and Collaborations
Dr. Calvin explained that his lab has four types of 3D printers—three polymer-based (FDM, mass stereolithography, and MJP) and one for metals. MJP offers the highest accuracy (30–50 microns). He also described their direct energy deposition machine, capable of creating functionally graded materials by combining two different metals. His center offers eight one-week hands-on training courses related to Industry 4.0. When discussing industry–academia collaboration, Dr. Vishwas shared that his company works extensively with institutions such as IIT Bombay and IIT Guwahati on projects, internships, and testing. The panelists concluded by advocating for additive manufacturing, with Dr. Calvin highlighting that it gives designers the freedom to focus on functionality rather than manufacturability—making it ideal for aerospace, defense, and medical applications.

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