Stratasys, a global leader in additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology, helps Indian aerospace, automotive, healthcare and consumer products industries design and make prototypes, manufacturing tools, and production parts faster and cost effectively.

Several OEMs and Tier-1 companies in these industry segments are its customers who want high value products at very reasonable prices. In an interaction with T Murrali of this publication, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Stratasys India and South East Asia, said, “We are changing the game by giving industrial production-grade machines at affordable prices. We have a lot of takers for them across industries in the Tier-2& 3 cities also.” Edited excerpts:

Q: In India, is additive manufacturing still confined to R&D for making prototypes? What is the next step in the automotive sector?

Bajaj: The car companies we have in India are globally competitive, keeping pace with what is happening around the world. The differentiation we see as a technology provider is the level of technology adoption by the local OEMs. Similar-sized OEMs elsewhere in the world will have a series of our machines whereas in India they are just 1 or 2 each, most of them with the auto OEMs. It also has to do with the technology adoption rate and the trend of product development and differentiation which came in rather late.

 Secondly, prototyping is a well documented area; people use it day in and day out. Companies like Honda, that do only manufacturing in India, are adopting it for their jigs and fixtures. The third stage we look at is personalisation where one can use the 3D printed part in a portion of the vehicle, which has been done with BMW MINI, and Daihatsu in Japan. We don’t have any use case in India as yet. We are looking at possibilities here.

Q: Are there some applications where it can be used?

Bajaj: Now we are talking about not just back-end or R&D use but actual customer experience. There we are giving tooled-up parts with multiple finishes. There are finite possibilities with the new numbers and quality of parts being manufactured. 3D is also used as a marketing tool. Typically, people look at it as a device to save money or time as this is a revenue generation tool.

Q: So even if you make 10,000 parts, each one can be customised?  

Bajaj: Yes, absolutely; it’s mass customisation.

Q: Do you see opportunity globally and in India to replace traditional manufacturing by 3D, and to what extent?

Bajaj: There is no simple yes or no answer to this. It involves a deep understanding of how the two processes work. If volumes are a few thousands, yes; but if it is in lakhs, then maybe not. The most intelligent organisations would be the ones who would use a mix-and-match of this technology. Additive doesn’t mean it should remove subtractive. Intelligence lies in knowing when to use additive and where to leverage subtractive, and vice-versa. Combining these two will make for a very efficient organisation.

Q: Will this find a key role in low volume parts? 

Bajaj: Yes, as well as complicated parts and in the aftermarket for different models. Even enthusiasts like Jay Leno will find a use for this. In fact Leno has bought a 3D printer from Stratasys to make parts for his collection of vintage cars. It’s a useful tool for motor enthusiasts to make parts that are not available in the market.

Q: Do you see additive manufacturing for lightweighting?

Bajaj: Parts consolidation is a very direct outcome of 3D printing because, for example, it can print a chain with interlock whereas in the traditional process each part would be a separate entity. In an aerospace part we consolidated some 100 plus parts into one unit. In automotive, now many areas for this are emerging for limited production; mass production would take some more time but it will come. When we talk of lightweighting, making prototypes earlier was quite difficult but today with this technology we can make very complex prototypes and validate the design. Once it is validated it can use any method: for low volume additive, for high volume something else. That’s the advantage. Also, in assembly, we can check minute gaps in the line very accurately. Changes in tooling can be done immediately instead of waiting for a long period as customisation has to be done in the shortest period possible.

Q: Would this help reduce the number of iterations?

Bajaj: Actually I can do more iteration by trying out newer ideas. This will help enhance the quality level at the design stage itself. We have to find a balance between the additive and the subtractive.

Q:  Would the customer complaints reduce when you make a product faster?

Bajaj: Obviously, as I am designing quality into the process and product from day one; it helps me take informed decisions. Basically, what the customer wants is a good, tangible product.

Q: What is the response you get from customers who have not taken up this technology as yet?

Bajaj: In today’s scenario there would be very few customers in the automotive supply chain who have not experimented with 3D printing. If they are not using it directly they are getting services done outside. The expectations from customers is different; some want better quality, some want it faster, some cheaper and so on. Most of them are experimenting so that this should become a part of their process.

Q: Are there other concerns than cost?

Bajaj: In India, cost is a big concern; customers want high value at the most reasonable price; they are not looking just for low cost. So there is pressure; that’s why a lot of innovation helps. A company cannot just copy paste; it has to innovate. In 2015 our lowest cost of the printer in FDM series was around INR 60 lakh. Today, we have given the same technology on a different platform for INR 15 lakh. That’s how we are changing the game, giving the same class of industrial production grade machines at an affordable price. This has found a lot of takers for us in the Tier-2&3 cities, not just automotive but across industries.

Q: There might be apprehension among your potential customers that if they buy a machine from you they would have to be wedded forever to your company to get the material. Is that true or will they be free to choose their own material from the market for use?

Bajaj: For most of our technologies it is true but we are working on a new technology called SLA which is our only platform where the consumer can buy material elsewhere. The problems with 3D printing are many. Let us say if you make your material open and then the customer comes and says the parts are not printing correctly; then where do you fix the blame? That becomes a big problem. The reason why we keep it to us is not because we want to charge customers more, but because we want to give them 100 percent accurate results all the time. Predictability and repeatability are problems that 3D printers at entry level are facing every day. By controlling the oven temperature and the material properties we are able to achieve 100 percent accuracy. When companies like Maruti tell us there are some challenges, we work with them to sort it out.

It is like when the customer buys a car and goes to the spurious market to get parts. When the vehicle fails they come and complain to us. We check the car and tell them the company is not responsible for whatever parts the customer fits in. Even insurance companies do not entertain such claims. If you want consistent quality and most desirable product performance you will have to stick to some standards.

Q: Do you see Stratasys to become even a supplier to vehicle manufacturers or Tier-1s?

Bajaj: It is not done in India as yet but globally we do run Service Bureaus. The BMW MINI project is all done by our Bureaus.

Q: Is this like software as a service where they can use your facility?

Bajaj: Yes, they have to just give us the software data and we will be able to print it. But that is not the real intelligence of the service bureau. The services we provide are very high-end; redesigning the entire thing, adding more colour variants, giving a new look to the car. These are the kind of services we provide where 3D printing is a part of the process. We take into account all the special requirements the customer wants. We have done complex projects in India and our overseas offices as a service.

Q: Which are the markets that are very attractive, where you have more inroads as of now? Going forward, how will it be?

Bajaj: Automotive is our sweet spot, globally (around 25 percent) and in India (30 percent). I see it as a major place for expansion because compared to global standards the technology adoption with these companies is very low. I believe if they have to compete in testing times like this there is no other way than to come out with products faster and cheaper. Technologies like Stratasys 3D printing are tailor-made for this. Despite the slowdown we are very bullish about the automotive market because of the lack of penetration in it. It’s a technology life cycle, similar to the software industry where the cycle came from the US and went on to Europe and to Asia before coming to India.

Q: How do you compare with aviation as you are the only one certified by the aviation industry?

Bajaj: For aviation, we are limited to plastics at this point in time so the parts made by us are more suitable for the cabin interior. India is more about defence aviation where the aircraft interior is not that critical. While HAL, DRDL, etc are all using our technology, mass proliferation would occur when companies like Boeing and Airbus have their complete setup in India. We need civil aircraft to be manufactured in India to see that kind of growth; there are none at present.

Q: For automotive, what are the key drivers of growth globally and in India?

Bajaj: One is the quest for innovation through rapid prototyping. Two, the product development cycle time has reduced by 50 percent in the last four years. If a new platform time was 3 years earlier, today it is under 18 months. In the past two years, any automotive company that has not come up with newer models at a faster pace has not survived. To keep the momentum going in the market they have to come up with new products. If they have the right product at the right price in India their business will certainly grow. (MT)

 

BOX 

User Forum

The 3rd edition of Stratasys India User Forum in Bengaluru recently had participation from over 620 industry leaders and end-users. Organised by Stratasys, a global leader in 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing (AM), the Forum was a platform for professionals to exchange views on the latest 3D printing trends, applications, and the best practices across key sectors in India.

Michael Agam, President, South Asia, Stratasys, said the User Forum brought together several leading brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Ashok Leyland and Honda Cars in the Indian ecosystem, that have used Stratasys’ products to innovate. This reiterates why India is a key market for the company.

Saurabh Singh, Head of Design Studio at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, highlighted how the brand has been able to leverage 3D printing to provide high quality, ergonomically suited and distinctly personalized offerings, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience.

Sundaresan, Vice-President, Electric Vehicles and eMobility Solutions, Ashok Leyland, said that AM helped the company save about 14,138 days of hour-utilization and nearly INR 74 lakh in manufacturing costs. He said Ashok Leyland made clutch housing using AM to carry out fitment checks and it helped to contain the time to three days against close to 60 days in the conventional method. AM helped also to keep the time schedules for the development of blower cover and meet the CMVR regulations. The company made prototypes and parts for the initial production lot. The whole exercise was completed in a couple of days as compared to 90 days in the conventional method. Similarly, the three-axis intake pipe was made in a day as opposed to the usual three months. It also made a scaled concept of the seven-speed gearbox having geometric complexity. For electric vehicles the company made traction motor stator sector in AM, which helped in physically measuring the slot-fill, evaluate ease of winding and measure external portions of end-winding. “For smaller volumes also AM is economical. For advanced mobility it plays a key role in the combustion chamber”, Sundaresan added.

Bhushan Chandna, Manager, Business Excellence, Honda Cars, explained how the brand has spearheaded the use of additive manufacturing in the auto sector, especially with the use of 3D-printed jigs and fixtures. (MT)

Delhi-NCR-headquartered electric vehicle maker Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has launched Swayamgati Cargo, which it claims is India’s first autonomous electric cargo three-wheeler.

Priced at an introductory INR 415,000, the EV brings self-driving technology to the logistics and industrial mobility sector, making autonomous operations accessible and scalable for Indian enterprises.

Swayamgati Cargo is based on the Swayamgati passenger autonomy platform and is purpose-built for campus logistics, industrial parks, airports, SEZs, manufacturing hubs, gated facilities, e-commerce fulfillment centres and smart cities. Bookings for Swayamgati Cargo open today, with deliveries beginning this quarter.

The new vehicle integrates OSM’s EV drivetrain with an AI-driven autonomy stack featuring Lidar, GPS, multi-sensor navigation, AI-based obstacle detection (up to 6 metres), geofenced route mapping and remote fleet management controls. The vehicle requires pre-mapped routes, customisable for each client’s operational environment.

With a payload capacity optimised for intra-campus logistics and a driving range of up to 120 km, the vehicle is designed to streamline repetitive cargo movement, reduce manual labour dependency and enhance operational efficiency in controlled zones. OSM aims to deploy 1,500 autonomous cargo and passenger units within the next 24 months.

Global industry estimates suggest autonomous logistics and low-speed autonomous mobility are expected to be among the fastest-growing segments in the USD 620 billion autonomous vehicle market projected for 2030.

Dr. Uday Narang, Founder & Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “After the successful launch of Swayamgati for passenger applications, Swayamgati Cargo is our next major step toward building India’s autonomous mobility ecosystem. Industrial parks, manufacturing hubs, and logistics facilities today demand precision, efficiency, and 24/7 reliability. Autonomous cargo EVs are the future of structured logistics. With this launch, we are proving once again that advanced autonomy can be designed, engineered, and produced in India – at a cost that makes sense for businesses across the country.”

Vivek Dhawan, Chief Strategy Officer, Omega Seiki Mobility, said, “Swayamgati Cargo brings intelligent logistics to the ground level. From material handling to last-mile campus transport, this vehicle eliminates human error, cuts operating costs, and ensures predictable movement. Our vision is clear: to democratize autonomy for India’s industries. With strong demand coming from airports, factories, and tech campuses, we see Swayamgati Cargo becoming a critical part of India’s smart logistics infrastructure.”

The cargo variant is built on the same autonomy platform that recently completed a successful Phase 1 pilot on a 3 km route with multiple stops, real-time obstacle detection and seamless autonomous navigation. The cargo-focused configuration now begins deployment for structured logistics environments under Phase 2 commercial rollout.

Swayamgati Cargo is engineered specifically for India’s dynamic, high-density industrial and commercial traffic patterns. Its structure, intelligent navigation, and zero-emission drivetrain make it an ideal solution for industrial material movement, airport baggage and cargo handling, intra-campus goods distribution, warehousing and factory-to-factory transfer, e-commerce fulfillment centre mobility, and gated community and tech park logistics.

At present, Omega Seiki Mobility has two manufacturing facility in Faridabad and one in Chakan (Pune). The company’s international assembly plant in Dubai (Jafza) caters to markets across Asia and Africa. A nationwide network of over 200 dealerships and service centres ensures maintenance, spares availability and operational support.

Exponent Energy, an energy-tech company based in Bengaluru, has opened its first Exponent Sales Point (ESP) Store in Laggere, Bengaluru. The outlet will showcase the full range of Exponent-enabled three-wheelers and serve as a destination for customers. The store will also operate as a retrofit touchpoint for converting existing CNG/LPG passenger three-wheelers into electric vehicles.

The store creates direct access for auto drivers to explore Exponent-enabled vehicles, experience 15-minute rapid charging, understand the retrofit process and take test drives. Drivers can drop off their CNG or LPG autos and pick up their EV retrofits within 24 hours. Exponent plans to add over 15 touchpoints across Bengaluru by the end of FY2026.

Exponent has launched 5 three-wheelers in partnership with OEMs such as Montra Electric (the Murugappa Group) and Kinetic Green. The store brings all Exponent-enabled models under one roof, allowing customers to explore and purchase with financing options and documentation. Every vehicle comes with a five-year warranty or 3,000 charging cycles. With zero to 100 percent 15-minute rapid charging and access to Exponent’s 70-plus charging points across Bengaluru, the company aims to make the shift to electric practical.

Ayush Bhargava, Head of Business, Exponent Energy, said, “Our first ESP store gives drivers a firsthand experience of the full Exponent ecosystem, from exploring our range of Exponent-enabled vehicles to seeing how existing vehicles can be upgraded. This is a buying experience auto drivers have never had before, combining clarity, choice and convenience under one roof. With this store, we are setting the foundation for a faster, more accessible EV transition and plan to replicate this model across more cities soon. When drivers see how easily they can switch to EVs at lower running costs, the shift becomes inevitable.”

In November 2025, Exponent Energy entered the EV retrofit business with its newly launched retrofit technology, Exponent Oto, capable of converting any CNG or LPG auto into an electric vehicle in just 24 hours. With zero down payment, flexible EMIs and an assured buyback after three years, Exponent makes the transition to electric simple. Exponent Oto allows drivers to save up to INR 5,000 every month, even after accounting for charging and EMI costs.

Exponent was co-founded in 2020 by ex-Ather executives Arun Vinayak and Sanjay Byalal. The company worked on its battery pack (e^pack), charging station (e^pump), and charging connector (e^plug) that together unlock a 15-minute rapid charge and give 3,000 cycle life warranty for EVs – all done on a range of lithium-ion cells.

The company has over 2,500 EVs powered by Exponent tech on the roads of India, 150-plus charging stations, over 1 million rapid charging sessions completed and over 50 million kilometres covered. The company has expanded to four new cities within two years.

South Korean automotive major Hyundai Motor Group held a topping-out ceremony for its Future Mobility Battery Campus in Anseong, Korea, marking a step in advancing battery technology and enhancing global electric vehicle competitiveness.

The event marked the construction progress since breaking ground in January 2025 and reaffirmed the Group’s vision to lead future mobility through next-generation battery research and development infrastructure. The campus represents a KRW 1.2 trillion investment, spanning approximately 197,000 square metre. The site is expected to be completed by end-2026.

Heui Won Yang, President and Head of the R&D Division at Hyundai Motor Group, said, “Through the Future Mobility Battery Campus, we aim to seamlessly connect the entire battery ecosystem to foster cross-industry collaboration and accelerate technological advancement. We are committed to strengthening Hyundai Motor Group’s EV battery competitiveness and advancing global electrification through strategic collaborations.”

The Future Mobility Battery Campus will serve as the Group’s first comprehensive battery research and development hub, enabling Hyundai Motor Group to internalise battery capabilities, including cell design, process engineering and integrated control systems linked to EV battery management.

While existing centres focus on initial cell and process design and validation at the unit level, the new campus will conduct continuous process validation. This approach ensures consistent quality and reliability under conditions that consider real-world vehicle application.

The key focus areas include:

• High-Precision Validation: This includes battery cell production process replication, an integrated testbed for iterative validation and battery lifecycle testing.
• Next-Generation Battery Development: Initially focusing on high-performance lithium-ion cells for EVs and Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), the scope will expand to diverse formats and materials and adaptability for future mobility.
• Digital and AI Integration: This involves AI-based tools and automated testing for predictive modelling and automation, along with big-data analytics to improve reliability and performance.

Hyundai Motor Group aims to build stronger partnerships with battery manufacturers and drive shared growth across the battery value chain. The campus will provide infrastructure and data-driven insights that enable faster technology commercialisation and validation processes.

Beyond EVs, the Future Mobility Battery Campus will enhance readiness for robotics, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and other future mobility sectors.

During the ceremony, the Group signed an MoU with Gyeonggi Province, Anseong City, and Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Development Corporation to foster a battery industry ecosystem and attract related businesses. This partnership underscores the Group’s commitment to creating an industrial cluster that supports technological advancement and sustainable economic development.

Japanese technology company Pioneer Corporation has announced it will attend CES 2026 in Las Vegas from 6-9 January 2026. The company plans to showcase its recent accomplishments in devices and solutions for software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and motorcycles.

These solutions leverage Pioneer's expertise in in-vehicle acoustic environments, human-machine interface (HMI) and connectivity technologies.

The presentation will cover several areas:

• Integrated Sound Platform: This platform is scalable, allowing diverse automakers to install Pioneer's or other vendors’ sound solutions tailored to their models. The software-enabled hardware design allows for lighter parts and components, contributing to lighter vehicles and improved fuel economy, while optimising costs. Visitors can experience three types of sound systems (entry-level, premium, and luxury) in a demo vehicle.
• Spatial Audio System: An advanced audio system, adaptable to vehicles including older models, provides drivers and passengers with a high-quality spatial audio experience. This innovation is the culmination of Pioneer’s expertise in in-vehicle acoustics, coupled with technologies. Visitors will experience multi-channel spatial audio and a sense of presence in a demo vehicle.
• Entry-level Cockpit Domain Controller (CDC): A newly developed CDC is designed for budget-friendly vehicles, offering a cost-effective alternative for flexible display and control design. This CDC shares fundamental design with Pioneer’s existing IVI software without employing a hypervisor, enabling entry-level vehicles to benefit from cockpits.
• AI-enabled Camera Solutions: Next-generation automotive-grade AI-enabled camera platforms elevate driver safety by enhancing visibility and eliminating blind-spots and also deliver personalised driving experiences. Pioneer will showcase a demo vehicle equipped with ten AI-enabled cameras, designed for factory-installation by automakers, providing the driver with 360-degree surround view during driving, parking, and poor weather scenarios. The company will also showcase its drive recorder portfolio, which encompasses a connected smart camera featuring real-time driver monitoring, alerts and driving diagnostics, as well as digital mirrors, modular dashcams and other accessories available for factory installation and as add-ons to enterprise fleets.
• Connected Solutions for Motorcycles: Software-defined solutions for motorcycles will be unveiled, encompassing meter clusters, onboard camera devices, and other connected solutions. Live demonstrations will showcase services made possible by Pioneer Ride Connect, which integrates Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) between smartphones and onboard devices, AI technology for enhancing the safety and entertainment of motorcyclists and unique HMIs that facilitate an intuitive user experience.