The Indian Women in 3D Printing Society (IW3DP) was formally launched in Bengaluru on April 18.  The objective of IW3DP Society, which has representatives from industry, academia and government, is to bridge the gender gap in the Indian 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry and provide exposure and training to secondary and college students in 3D printing through workshops and experiential learning labs.

“IW3DP is an organization focused on promoting, supporting and inspiring women into the field of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Technology. Our mission is to close the gender-gap and ensure 50 percent women representation in this industry. The 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry is estimated to grow to $285 million by 2025,” said Dr. K. Kavya Shree, founding chairperson of IW3DP, speaking on the occasion. 

According to Dr. Kavya Shree, IW3DP will focus on skilling female engineers in the field; provide a platform for networking and facilitating connections by organizing formal or informal gatherings, panels, global events; feature female leaders every week on social media showcasing their ideas and contributions towards 3D printing, and enable diversity by providing a database on female speakers/entrepreneurs, conduct industry surveys, etc.

Moreover, through its 3D Makers Lab vertical IW3DP will promote 3D printing technology in educational institutions. “We will partner with schools and colleges to set up 3D printing labs to enable children to learn experientially. This is in line with the National Education Policy 2020 which emphasizes practical learning through discovery. We plan to introduce 3D printing labs and technology to class VII-IX students,” said Dr. Suma Singh, founding director, 3D Makers Lab, IW3DP and also Dean, humanities, Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru.

The society’s Pitch 3D initiative will promote entrepreneurship in the 3D printing industry and is led by Dr. Sangeeta Pandey, founding director of IW3DP.

The launch event as attended by representatives from industry and academia including Dr. Dheepa Srinivasan, IW3DP Advisory Board member and Chief Engineer, Pratt & Whitney; Dr. Nagahanumaiah, Director, Central Manufacturing Technology Institute; T.R. Parasuraman, Executive Advisor, Toyota Group, Toyota Kirloskar Motor; M.N. Vidyashankar, former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Karnataka; Dr. Sankha Dip Das, Scientist ‘D’, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Govt. of India; Dr. Anil Kumar P R, Scientist ‘G’ and In-Charge, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology and Prakasam Anand, Country Director, EOS Electro Optical Systems India Pvt. Ltd and IW3DP – Founding Corporate Lifetime Member. The chief guest was Thierry Berthelot, Consul General of France, Bangalore.

The 3D Makers Lab Experience Centre in association with EOS & Additive Minds Academy & AMSI (Additive Manufacturing Society of India) was also inaugurated on the occasion.

M.N. Vidya Shankar emphasised the need to popularise 3D printing and technology. “Bengaluru will soon have a functional post office constructed using 3D printing technology. Just as there are photocopying machines at every nook and corner, we need to popularize the use of 3D printing technology,” he said.    

Principals and faculty of engineering colleges, where the society has set up 3D printing labs, were also felicitated at the event. Among them: Dayanand Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru; National Institute of Engineering, Mysore and NITTE Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengaluru.

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