Jaipur-Based Aha 3D Innovations’ Huge ProtoCentre 1M 3D Printer Gains in Popularity

The initiative “Make in India” is just what it sounds like: it’s the Indian government’s attempt to encourage national and multinational companies to manufacture products in the country and help grow the country’s economic presence internationally. Across the nation, there are developments in 3D printing technologies that correspond well to the “Make in India” mission. One example is what’s happening with 3D printing in Jaipur — the largest city in the state of Rajasthan. The young team of 3D printing entrepreneurs who have created the largest 3D printer in India is just the latest example of technological initiatives designed to create a new generation of entrepreneurs who will exemplify the government’s economic goals.

This multi-disciplinary team founded Aha 3D Innovations in 2010, and has focused on electronics, communication, software, mechanical and design issues for the past several years. Because of their hard work, Jaipur is the home of India’s largest 3D printer — the ProtoCentre 1M. The machine is capable of manufacturing objects measuring 1 meter in length, width,and height and it is located at Aha 3D Innovations. This company made quite a splash about a year ago when it unveiled the mammoth 3D printer, which costs $56,000 USD. The brief story of this printer is interesting, and we first covered it when it was introduced to the world. Aha 3D Innovations CEO Aakash states:

“The PhotoCentre 1M is our flagship industrial 3D printer the only one of its kind that can build objects up to 1 metre tall. It is loaded with cutting edge features to ensure that your print never fails. Besides even in case of a power failure, the print resumes from the same position when the power is restored.”

In addition to its impressive girth, this machine has features to keep filament from running empty and jamming. Also, its intelligent diagnostics software will remind you of periodic maintenance tasks. It routinely checks functions to ensure that the machine is running at its optimal performance level, and it comes with all the “standard interfaces” like touch screen and WiFi.

Tanmay Sethi, a team member at Aha 3D Innovations, explains the company’s evolution toward the building of the ProtoCentre 1M:

“We started with Reality 3D printers which was more of a hobby based printer which also became India’s first indigenous 3D printer not capable of serving to the industrial sector. The first model of this was launched in 2012. This was improvised with the feedback of industry and customers. Based on customer feedback the team moved on to develop ProtoCentre 999 which had a cure for all the problems the previous version had. But before coming to ProtoCentre 1M we had made an alpha for this machine, which to date is India’s largest machine with a build volume of 0.5 x 0.75 x 1 cubic meter.”

News of India’s large 3D printer is expanding, and many companies and government organizations have acquired one, including the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Adobe, Greenstar, the Indian Institute of Technlogy, the Department of Science & Technology, and the government of Rajasthan.

While Aha 3D Innovations gets accolades for the ProtoCentre 1M’s contributions to 3D printing globally, you know how the industry works. I am sure that the team there is already working on its next big innovation – whether this includes model upgrades or a further branching out into the brave new world of 3D printing technologies. Perhaps an even bigger printer is on the Jaipur horizon… Discuss in the ProtoCentre 1M 3D Printer forum over at 3DPB.com.