This marks a significant milestone in India's additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem, empowering the nation to design and produce advanced high-tech machinery indigenously.

Bangalore, January 23, 2025:  Shri H D Kumaraswamy, Hon'ble Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Government of India, has launched the Apollo 350 SLS, India's first indigenously designed and developed Polymer Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printer developed by FSID-Indian Institute of Science. This was developed under the Capital Goods Scheme of MHI Phase-II in partnership with Fracktal Works Pvt Limited. The product debuted at IMTEX 2025, India's largest machine tool expo. This marks a significant milestone in India's additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem, empowering the nation to design and produce advanced high-tech machinery indigenously. The collaboration leverages Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) CORE Labs' cutting-edge research capabilities and Fracktal Works' industry expertise to create a product that meets global standards while catering to the specific needs of the Indian market.

The Apollo 350 SLS is equipped with high-stability CO₂ lasers, precision scanning systems, and advanced preheating technology. These features ensure minimal powder material degradation, maximum powder reusability, and exceptional build precision, setting a new benchmark in additive manufacturing. The product has been developed at IISc within a span of just two years, marking a significant milestone in the Make in India initiative.

The Apollo 350 SLS addresses several key challenges faced by Indian manufacturers, including high initial investments, lack of flexibility or user-specific customisations, and heavy dependence on foreign technologies and Forex. By delivering cost-efficient, high-performance capabilities with tailored solutions, the indigenously developed 3D Printer is poised to transform polymer 3D printing in India, making it more accessible and adaptable to the needs of local industries while driving self-reliance in advanced manufacturing technologies.

Commenting on the launch, Omprakash Subbarao, Chief Executive, CORE Labs, FSID-IISc, stated, "We take pride in developing an industrial-grade polymer printer entirely in-house at the FSID-IISc facility under the MHI Capital Goods Scheme. Designed, manufactured, and assembled on-site, this achievement highlights our ability to accelerate complex technology development and bring innovative products to market efficiently. This milestone exemplifies our commitment to driving timely innovation and advancing India's manufacturing capabilities."

The global 3D polymer printing market is expanding rapidly, valued at $7.5 billion, driving industries worldwide to adopt additive manufacturing for its efficiency, precision, and scalability. India, however, remains one of the largest importers of capital goods for advanced manufacturing spanning from critical components  to technology critical sophisticated industrial machinery. This heavy reliance on imports has constrained the growth of sectors like additive manufacturing, where access to competitively priced, high-quality machinery is critical. 

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