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Bullet train trial runs to be conducted on E5 Shinkansen trainsets
Dhruvaksh Saha New Delhi
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The Ministry of Railways will conduct trial runs for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridor on the Japanese E5 Shinkansen trainsets and will later run the latest version of the train, sources aware of the matter said.
'The Japanese Shinkansen is currently running E5 trains. The next-generation trains are E10. In the spirit of the strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. It is noteworthy that E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan,' the ministry said on Monday, refuting allegations that the government
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AI can help automate slicing processes, adjust print parameters in real time, and predict errors, reducing manual intervention and increasing throughput,' he says. Moreover, ML models analyse data from sensors and cameras to detect defects during the printing process, ensuring higher quality outputs and reducing material waste, he adds. From healthcare to defence, 3D printers are facilitating a wide range of applications across sectors. 'In manufacturing, they support rapid prototyping as well as the production of lightweight, performance-oriented components. In healthcare, they enable cost-effective, patient-specific implants and prosthetics. In aerospace and defence, they are used to produce complex, high-performance parts that must meet strict material and weight requirements,' says Budhiraja. According to Traxcn, there are about 240 3D printing companies in India currently. WOL3D, which began selling 3D printers in 2016, has seen tremendous growth since then. Chandalia mentioned that they started by selling 10 to 12 printers in a month, and now they sell about 1,000 to 1,500 printers every month. According to him, industries like dental (for dentures, crowns, etc.), jewellery, and education are growing very fast in 3D printing. 'Apart from this, we see people using 3D printers for home decor, table lamps, flower vases, and even customised nameplates,' says Chandalia. These creative applications are gaining popularity among a new wave of makers. 'This end application of 3D printing is coming with new entrepreneurs; kids who have passed engineering or are in their last year have started buying 3D printers and started home production and then selling them on Amazon. They are starting their entrepreneurial journey with an investment of hardly Rs 1-2 lakh.' WOL3D's printing setup in Mumbai. Chandalia mentioned that they started in 2016 by selling 10 to 12 printers in a month, and now they sell about 1,000 to 1,500 printers every month. 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There has been a notable surge in the adoption of 3D printing by MSMEs, as they increasingly use this technology to tackle challenges related to enhancing quality and reducing delivery timelines, says Phillips' Budhiraja. What started as a tool for prototyping has now evolved to include applications in tooling, jigs, and fixtures, resulting in cost savings and faster production timelines. 'We have seen the tremendous demand for technology by MSMEs. They want to be more competitive by adding value to their proposals with quick prototypes, better production costs, and improved profits; 3D printing is accelerating all of these,' he says. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 220 SMEs in Chennai's Sriperumbudur Industrial Zone adopted in-house 3D printing for product development, according to a recent report by TechSci Research. 'This shift enabled them to reduce their average prototyping cycle time by 55% and prototype outsourcing costs by 48%, helping local manufacturers bring new products to market significantly faster and with greater design control,' the report highlights. Similarly, 45 dental clinics in Delhi-NCR adopted 3D printing technologies between 2023 and 2025 to produce customised implants and orthodontic appliances. 'These clinics collectively manufactured over 18,500 devices locally, reducing turnaround time from up to four weeks to less than six days. Production costs for custom parts were cut by nearly 40%, improving affordability and patient care efficiency,' the report says. Pothukuchi of Dassault Systèmes points out that the 3D printing machines have evolved from being bulky to becoming sleeker and lighter, taking less space. 'This (evolution) has led to prices going down for the same, making it more affordable for MSMEs and start-ups.' Ravikiran Pothukuchi, Lead-Manufacturing & Logistics, Dassault Systèmes points out that the 3D printing machines have evolved from being bulky to becoming sleeker and lighter, taking less space. More than 60% of WOL3D customers are B2C, the majority of which are MSMEs and start-ups. And it has collaborated with mobility firm Ola Cabs, ISRO, Infosys, and DRDO in terms of B2B, informs CEO Chandalia. 'When Ola bought a 3D printer, the entire design of the Ola bike was first created based on the 3D printed model. They made a mould out of it, and then they manufactured the bike. So bigger companies use it for all the prototypes in their R&D,' he says. One of WOL3D's customers is wearables firm Fire-Boltt, which has been using the former's 3D printers to make prototypes of smartwatches as well as smartwatch cases. Arnav Kishore, Co-founder of Fire-Boltt, says that the company has been trying to identify how 3D printing could benefit their brand for the last 1-2 years. He points out that across the world, the most common way of prototyping is 3D printing. According to him, the biggest advantage of 3D printing is time. 'If we were to make a sample of any new design of a smartwatch, traditionally, it would take more than 45 to 60 days because we would need to first open a mould for injection, and then that mould itself takes about 60-plus days to develop. This would cost us time and money.' 'Whereas through 3D printing, we have a prototype in 24 hours. Then, once we are satisfied, we can proceed towards the mould development. So, it helps us in commercialising the product much better. It helps us make the product more accurate before we give it for moulding,' he adds. Another evolution is taking place in the 3D printing space regarding raw materials. It has moved beyond plastic and polymers, with more sustainable options now available, such as corn starch, which is biodegradable and more environmentally friendly. 'There is a noticeable global shift towards environmentally responsible alternatives, with India playing an active role in this movement.' says Budhiraja. While the growth of 3D printing companies like WOL3D looks promising, challenges persist. Challenges Entry-level machines are affordable; however, scaling up to high-precision or production-grade applications remains capital-intensive, Budhiraja notes. 'A shortage of skilled professionals is another major limitation. Running and maintaining 3D printers, designing for additive manufacturing, and managing end-to-end workflows require specialised training, something that India's current technical education ecosystem is still catching up on,' he says. Budhiraja also laments low awareness and limited adoption among traditional manufacturers, many of whom remain unfamiliar with 3D printing's practical use. 'While some reliable components are still being made using conventional methods, additive technologies can extend product life and improve output quality when applied correctly.' However, the trial phase of validating additive models is not always preferred, and this hesitation, according to Budhiraja, continues to hold back wider experimentation. He also points out the lack of regulatory standards and quality control frameworks, which creates uncertainty for manufacturers exploring applications in safety-critical sectors like medical devices and aviation. 3D printing is tightly linked with technology. But the additional software and applications required for additive manufacturing add further costs, making it a bit cost prohibitive, especially for MSMEs. This month, WOL3D launched India's first 3D-printed flexible toy brand- Brahma 3D Farm. Additionally, there is another limitation. Although 3D printing of prototypes can be faster than traditional manufacturing, it is limited in terms of scalability. Chandalia points out that traditional manufacturing would be faster for those needing to produce more than 50,000 products, whereas 3D printing would be efficient for those with requirements of 1,000-5,000 products. 'However, the speed of the printers is increasing, which is a positive sign, but then many people are not really aware of these specifics. People don't know this technology exists. But, with time, we are trying to find ways where we can cope with that,' he says. India is still at a nascent stage of 3D printing, but it is growing rapidly. In China, there are farms with 3,000-6,000 printers. 'I feel such farms will also come to India,' says Chandalia. 'We are the ones who are getting the first farm of about 150-200 printers. But I think with time, we may increase the farm from 200 to 300 printers next year. I believe there will be a time when every household in India will have at least one product that is 3D printed,' says a highly optimistic Chandalia.
