A company that has been manufacturing abrasives, electric minerals, and refractory materials in industrial quantities for decades rarely has a reason to invest in a completely new manufacturing process. Yet that is exactly what the Indian materials group Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI) has done: The company’s Industrial Ceramics division has installed a ceramic stereolithography printer from 3DCeram Sinto to break into previously untapped markets for engineering ceramics. This case exemplifies why ceramic 3D printing is worthwhile when an established materials manufacturer reaches the limits of traditional shaping methods.

CUMI: A Heavyweight in the Materials Industry

CUMI is part of the Murugappa Group, an Indian conglomerate with an enterprise value equivalent to approximately 8.9 billion U.S. dollars, and employs more than 5,500 people across the group. As a materials science specialist, CUMI operates in the fields of abrasives, electrical minerals, ceramics, refractory materials, and energy storage materials—industries in which manufacturing processes are traditionally geared toward high-volume production and established forming methods. Additive manufacturing was introduced at CUMI through the Industrial Ceramics Division, with the stated goal of tapping into additional market segments for technical ceramics and further expanding the company’s position as an industry leader.

Why Stereolithography Instead of Traditional Ceramic Shaping

The process used by 3DCeram Sinto operates on the top-down stereolithography principle. Unlike DLP-based ceramic 3D printing processes, this approach does not require support structures and remains precise even with larger components—a point at which, according to the case study, DLP systems reach their scaling limits. For CUMI, the decisive factor was that this process allows for the same material properties as those achieved with traditionally formed ceramics, while simultaneously enabling component geometries that would be practically impossible to achieve with conventional manufacturing methods.

Initial Successes with Alumina; Additional Materials in the Works

CUMI has already successfully tested the production of components made of alumina and plans to test zirconia, silicon nitride, and a silicon-based material for foundry cores in the coming months. This range of materials is indicative of the ambition behind the investment: CUMI is not focused on a single niche product, but rather on building an additive manufacturing platform that can serve multiple business segments simultaneously in the medium term. Prathap Kumar, Business Head of the Industrial Ceramics Division at CUMI, sums up the expectations as follows: “We are confident that by incorporating 3D printing technology into our production process, we will be able to cater to more markets for technical ceramics.” Regarding the implementation, he adds: “We are satisfied with the installation, training, and support provided by Shree Rapid Technologies on behalf of 3D Ceram Sinto”—a testament to how important a well-established local implementation partner is when introducing a new manufacturing technology.

Local Implementation as a Key to Success

Another notable aspect of this case is who oversaw the on-site implementation of the technology: Shree Rapid Technologies (SRT), 3DCeram Sinto’s local sales and service partner in India, handled the installation, training, and ongoing support for the system. Especially for a materials company with several thousand employees and established quality processes, the success of a project often depends less on the machine itself than on the support provided during commissioning and employee training. A well-coordinated local partner helps minimize the typical teething problems that can arise when introducing additive manufacturing processes into existing, large-scale production environments.

A Growing Market for Technical Ceramics in the Background

CUMI’s move comes at a time when the market for additively manufactured technical ceramics is gaining significant momentum overall: Market analyses project the segment’s growth from approximately $113 million in 2022 to about $2 billion by 2032, driven by a growing number of hardware manufacturers, material suppliers, and manufacturing service providers. For established materials companies like CUMI, this means that those who build up their own expertise in additive ceramic manufacturing early on can secure a position in a market that is just beginning to evolve from niche to industrial applications.

What this means for other ceramics manufacturers and users

The CUMI case study shows that investing in purchasing ceramic 3D printers is worthwhile not only for small, specialized technology providers but also for large, established materials manufacturers seeking to expand their existing product portfolios to include additively manufactured variants. What matters most here is not so much the hardware itself as the ability to systematically qualify multiple materials and thereby open up new fields of application, rather than limiting the technology to a single product. For companies evaluating additive manufacturing in ceramics, CUMI thus provides an example of how a new manufacturing technology can be integrated into an existing, high-volume materials business without altering the core business.

Take the Next Step Now

Would you like to find out whether additive manufacturing or 3D scanning is also worthwhile for your components and processes? The AM Pioneers team offers non-binding advice on technology, materials, and cost-effectiveness—based on real-world project experience with the partner technologies presented here.

Contact AM Pioneers for a personalized consultation regarding your specific application.