Swiss 3D printer manufacturer Sintratec has partnered with Sun Digital, an essential provider of digital printing solutions and exclusive distributor of HP Indigo products in Mexico. This collaboration allows Sun Digital to expand its offerings to include industrial 3D printing technologies while Sintratec gains an expanded sales network in the North American market.
Headquartered in Mexico City, Sun Digital says it’s establishing an “Additive Division” to enter the 3D printing sector, utilizing Sintratec’s selective laser sintering (SLS) process. Sun Digital aims to benefit from the new Sintratec All-Material Platform, which offers modular manufacturing with scalability, multi-material capability, and high throughput.
Gabor Koppanyi, Sintratec’s Marketing and Sales Manager, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that Sun Digital, with its industry-oriented expertise and experience, will represent Sintratec products in the promising Mexican market.
With Sun Digital’s expanded offerings, customers and interested parties in Central America will have access to Sintratec technology. Ricardo del Castillo, Sun Digital’s Additive Division Innovation Manager, believes that Sintratec’s 3D printing solutions will bring significant added value to the Mexican market.
Sintratec’s selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printers can create complex, functional prototypes and end-use parts from a wide range of materials. Since its inception in 2002, the brand has wanted to make its SLS technology accessible to small businesses, educational institutions, and research laboratories, focusing on democratizing additive manufacturing. On that route, it has formed partnerships to expand its global reach with German RepRap, Prodways, and global logistics provider DACHSER to optimize supply chain processes using 3D printing, to name a few.
Sintratec 3D printer. Image courtesy of Sintratec.
The collaboration with Sun Digital is expected to contribute to the broader adoption of 3D printing technology in Mexico, which has seen growing interest across industries, albeit at a slower pace compared to other countries.
AM is still in its early stages in Mexico. The Mexican Association of Additive Manufacturing (AMMA3D) estimates that 3D printing is primarily used for prototyping and product development (90%), with a smaller percentage dedicated to end products (10%). However, the growing need for rapid prototyping and manufacturing has the potential to drive increased adoption of 3D printing in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and healthcare.
According to AMMA3D, there are approximately 10,000 3D printers, 500 3D printing companies, and 1,000 3D printing professionals in Mexico. In 2021, the estimated value of the Mexican 3D printing market was US$100 million, with significant potential for further growth, particularly in the automotive, aerospace, and healthcare sectors. Several initiatives have emerged, including an alliance between Stratasys and Tridi Mx (which boasts the largest AM center in the country) called “Aditiva por México,” aiming to bring together key players in the Mexican 3D printing industry.
Mexico, alongside Brazil, is regarded as a leader in 3D printing adoption within Latin America. According to the study “Additive Manufacturing: Importance and Challenges for Latin America,” these two countries are at the forefront of the 3D printing revolution in the region. The authors of the study also highlight the Mexican government’s efforts in developing advanced manufacturing roadmaps, which focus on talent management and enhancing capabilities in the design, development, and engineering processes, as well as the production of materials and products within Mexico.