Singapore firms urged to tap 3D printing tech

The 3D printing start-up has reached out to about 400 companies.

The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) has made it possible for tissue implants to be 3D-printed using a technology being developed by Nanyang Technological University and a Singapore-based 3D printing start-up focused on healthcare.

This new printer can print the supporting structure layer by layer and insert living cells to form a live tissue that could aid in the regeneration of particular tissues or organs.

According to a joint release by NAMIC and NTU, since the formation of NAMIC by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore and SPRING Singapore last year, the cluster has reached out to about 400 local and international companies to help them adopt additive manufacturing, also known as 3D-printing, as part of their business.

NAMIC has also successfully established joint funding for 39 joint projects between companies and academic research institutions and has 80 more projects in the pipeline.

NTU’s innovation and enterprise company NTUitive is leading NAMIC, in partnership with SPRING Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board. The cluster’s three founding members are Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

NRF Singapore CEO Low Teck Seng said Singapore continues to support knowledge creation and value capture through science & technology.

"Facilitating industry growth through technology is key to developing our economy. We can accelerate this through mission-oriented innovation clusters that strengthen partnerships across companies, universities, research institutes and government agencies. Within this context, additive manufacturing has been identified as a key capability we would like to build through innovation clusters to forge a new technological edge for Singapore’s manufacturing sector," he said.

Meanwhile, NAMIC’s managing director Ho Chaw Sing said the response they had received from companies has been positive, despite the use of 3D printing for industrial uses still being in its infancy.

“While 3D printing has taken off for customised products in the aerospace and biomedical industries, many local companies still find the barrier of entry quite high, due to the costly printers and a lack of expertise in additive manufacturing,” Ho explained.

He furthered, “Our objectives are to reach, educate and help link these companies to scientists and engineers at research institutes, who already have existing 3D-printing machines and the technical know-how. This way, we ensure that the innovative solutions developed through research will meet real business needs.”