How AMTZ is Turning India into a Global Hub for High-Precision Medical Components

Visakhapatnam/New Delhi: Strengthening India’s journey towards self-reliance in medical device manufacturing, the Advanced Additive Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (Coe) at Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) is set to expand its advanced manufacturing capabilities across plastics, metals and silicone-based medical components.

The expansion builds on the Centre’s proven success in polymer and metal additive manufacturing, CNC precision machining and pilot-scale production, positioning AMTZ as a key enabler of high-precision, export-ready MedTech manufacturing in the country.

Conceived as a multi-disciplinary common facility, the Coe brings together additive and conventional manufacturing technologies under one integrated platform. By offering shared access to advanced infrastructure, the Centre supports startups, MSMEs, industry players and academia in developing reliable, scalable and regulatory-compliant medical device components.

To date, the facility has worked with over 20 startups and more than 35 industry partners, providing end-to-end support ranging from industrial design and rapid prototyping to machining, post-processing and low-volume production.

As Medtech Sector of India scales up, the availability of consistent and component manufacturing has also emerged as the critical factor of cost competitiveness, supply-chain resilience and speed to market.

Addressing this particular gap, the COE supports the fabrication plastic, metal and silicone-based components such as enclosures, housings, fixtures, tooling and functional sub-components used across the wide area of medical devices. Its well combined approach also enables to move seamlessly from material research and design validation to scalable solutions within a good ecosystem.

Commenting on this integrated approach, Dr. Jitendra Sharma, Founder CEO and Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone said, “By combining additive manufacturing with precision machining, injection-moulded plastics, silicone component manufacturing, and advanced post-processing capabilities, the Centre of Excellence at AMTZ has created a strong platform for indigenous, scalable, and globally competitive medical device component production.

This integrated model reduces import dependence, shortens manufacturing cycles, and accelerates innovation and commercialization for the MedTech sector.”

Aligned with national initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Centre of Excellence is playing a pivotal role in strengthening domestic manufacturing while supporting export-oriented production. Its shared-access model lowers entry barriers for innovators and manufacturers, enabling them to leverage world-class facilities without heavy capital investment, while simultaneously addressing quality, scale and compliance requirements demanded by global markets.

The impact of the Coe is already visible in several breakthrough outcomes. The Centre enabled the development of a manufacturing process for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a critical material used in joint replacements and orthopedic implants.

This effort helped Nanoshel break a global supply duopoly and provide a domestic alternative, significantly reducing India’s dependence on imports estimated at nearly ₹2,000 crore.

The centre has emerged as a pivotal hub for the indigenisation of critical components in advanced medical imaging and interventional cardiology systems.

Through strategic research and development initiatives, the facility has successfully achieved localisation of high-precision components including medical-grade borosilicate glass used in X-ray tube envelopes and image intensifiers, rare-earth scintillator materials for detector arrays, specialized catheter-grade polymers meeting ISO 10993 biocompatibility standards, biocompatible drug-eluting stents with controlled-release polymer coatings, and pacemaker components including hermetically sealed titanium enclosures.

In another initiative, the centre supported the development of advanced glucometer strips and glucose detection kits using micro 3D-printed layered structures, delivering accurate readings with minimal sample volume and opening pathways for affordable, indigenous diabetes monitoring solutions.

The centre has also facilitated the creation of a pocket-sized hypersensitivity biosensor that allows users to qualitatively and quantitatively detect lactose content in food, demonstrating how advanced manufacturing can enable compact, user-centric healthcare innovations.

This in domestic manufacturing of components previously dependent on imports has not only reduced the cost of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment by 30-40% but has also ensured supply chain resilience for healthcare infrastructure, while maintaining compliance with international quality benchmarks such as FDA 21 CFR standards for radiological devices.

Looking ahead, AMTZ plans to increase collaborations beyond current industry partners and continue building a skilled workforce in advanced manufacturing technologies. With this expansion, the Centre of Excellence is poised to play a defining role in positioning India as a global hub for medical device component manufacturing.