Most advanced 3D printing centre in Africa

APRIL 10 saw the Inauguration of the 3D Printing High-Tech Centre, the largest and most advanced of its kind in Africa, at the Polytechnique at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon.

The centre is the ‘brain-child’ of Israeli entrepreneur Uri Sela of Sela Educational Initiatives and incorporates state-of-the-art Israeli equipment and will offer both Cameroonian and African students an unprecedented opportunity to carry out cutting-edge research.

Moreover, the revolutionary technology of 3D printing will contribute significantly to the modernization of Cameroonian industry (by for example enabling the local printing of foreign designed prototypes) and medical treatment (by producing individual prosthetic implants and artificial limbs).

Demaplastech Rapid Prototyping of Johannesburg, which represents Stratasys 3D printers, was awarded the contract to supply, commission and provide training at the centre. The centre has a mix of FDM and Polyjet technologies and has the combined capability to print almost every material in the Stratasys portfolio.

The 23 printers were installed in a record time of just two weeks by Louis duToit and Jacques Visagie, who are both Stratasys certified engineers.