A decade ago, 3D printers were the expensive machines used in factories and R&D organizations. It is an incredible product that can construct a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design. 3D printer has now become a viable and affordable product for Designers, Engineers, Hobbyists, Colleges and even curious Consumers. Buying a high-end 3D printer in India may still cost us a few lakh rupees. However GAAGS Technologies brings it to the market with half price and without compromising on quality and functionalities. Interestingly, the founders of this innovative start-up are not industry professionals with years of experience; they are the students who recently got graduated from Chennai Institute of Technology. They call themselves as self-employed entrepreneurs with an aspiration of bringing life to our dreams through their 3D Printing Technology.
“3D printers are pricey in India a so people go for Chinese products which do not have quality and do not offer any sort of guarantee. At GAAGS, we make affordable multi-functional 3D printers and its accessories, so that, more people can use it without burning their pockets,” says V. Gokul, Co-Founder, GAAGS. Presently, GAAGS is incubated in IIT Madras – HTIC MedTech Incubator, which is a joint initiative by Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Government of India. The company is also working on several R&D based products, which will disrupt the MedTech market in the upcoming years. “The dream of manufacturing our own products and starting an own company because of the support we got from our college, Chennai Institute of Technology (CIT). Without the help of faculty members, we would not have been here,” adds Gokul.
Established in 2010 by the Parthasarathy Seeniammal Educational Trust, CIT works with the objective of providing quality technical education with an adequate industrial exposure than any other engineering colleges in Chennai. The institute has an Incubation cell for innovation and entrepreneurship for the transfer of knowledge, where the management encourages both faculty members and students to carry out research projects that give solutions to several Industrial and societal problems. The incubation cell available inside the campus has helped many students to start their business venture. GOGOSOON, LEX Labs, NR Caterers, Force Enterprises, Chennai Auto Parts and K V L Infotech are few to name among them.
“At CIT, we give more focus on civilizing the quality of deliverables on par with global engineering education demands, rather than reinventing engineering education. As Engineering education is a professional course, we offer more modern industrial exposure to students by undertaking real time projects other than the curriculum requirements in the emerging areas such as industrial automation, digital modernization using big data, cloud computing and IOT, which are the main components of industry 4.0.,” opens Shri.P. Sriram, Chairman, Chennai Institute of Technology. Acclaimed as an Industry Connected Institution, CIT has grabbed the attention of the industry and the education fraternity at international level for its Centre of Excellences operational with well-trained faculty members having diverse experience in academic and industry with minimum qualification ME, M.Tech, Ph.D and Post-Doctoral Fellowship.
“Now, many of the manufacturing and service oriented industries favor to work with CIT, since we have well established infrastructure, sustaining original version of software and equipment along with the expertise manpower available in the institution, which attracts the industries,” claims Sriram, who is a successful first generation entrepreneur in Chennai for the past two decades and it is his expertise in the industry that enhanced his thirst for establishing a technical institution under the banner of Chennai Institute of Technology. Today, CIT has strong collaborations with national and global industries in terms of student’s Internship programs, Industrial Visit, Project collaborations and Consultancy Projects. Further, the institute invites industry experts regularly to deliver guest lecture on recent trends in Industries, best practices and preparing the students towards the placements. Every year, over 90 percent of students get placed in reputed companies. Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd, ThoughtWorks Technologies, Human Resocia Corporation, Japan, WABCO India Limited, Rane Groups, Chennai, TCS, Verizon, Kaar technologies, Bank of America, HSDC, Bonrnfigleoli, YCH Logistics, Tech Mahendra, IBM, Empahsis and Mahendra & Mahendra are few to name among them.
Finding Solution to the Real Problems
Budding as a favorite and promising technical institution for both students and industry, CIT has created specialized infrastructures for the industry needs such as IOT, Industrial automation, Computational mechanics, Robotics and Additive Manufacturing. “We have formulated totally 17 Centres of Excellence in the Emerging areas to make Industry ready Engineers who can cater the needs of various industries. The equipment and software in the CoEs are on par with global standards to solve any real time industrial needs,” shares Dr. J. M. Mathana, Principal, Chennai Institute of Technology. Apart from the traditional teaching methods, CIT has given more importance to Collaborative Learning, Self-Learning, Competition Based Learning and Supportive Learning, which includes peer learning, Project based learning, Activity based learning and ICT supported activities. Dr.J.M.Mathana adds, “In support of innovation and creativity, we have established an Institution Innovation Cell (IIC) which is approved by Ministry of Human Resource & Development, Government of India. It is helping us to systematically foster the culture of creativity and innovation among our students.
The chief mandate of CIT’s Institution Innovation Cell is to encourage, inspire and nurture students by supporting them to work with new ideas and prototype. This will promote innovation in the institution through multitudinous mode narrowing to an innovation promoting ecosystem in the campus. Dr. Mathana shares, “A separate innovation coordinator has been allocated for this process and awareness is being made twice in a month by inviting the well-known innovators across the nation from Industry as well as academia.” Indeed, Technical competition participation and learning is the crown of CIT in learning process. The main driving force for this comes from ‘Concept a Day’. “The present scenario gives many opportunities to the students to showcase their talents and innovations in many competitions at state, national and international level. They develop the products and startups that are relevant to social and technical importance,” opines Dr. Mathana. Many CIT students have participated in the Smart India Hackathon, Baja, e-Baja, e-Vehicle, Automated Guided Vehicle, World Skill Competition, Code Vita, Code Thantra, and Code Gladiator. In most of these competitions, CIT students won the prizes which reveal their skill and technical preparedness.
“Our Innovative programs help to diversify the learning experience of every student through unique learning methodologies to develop products and face this modern world. It creates scientific spark in students to meet the global challenges, “pinpoints Sriram, which is also a mission of the Institution. Undoubtedly, CIT students will have knowledge in emerging technology that will lead them to become an innovator in a sustainable manner. On the other side, CIT also inculcates human values and ethical principles to cater to the social needs. It contributes towards the research ecosystem by providing a suitable, effective platform for interaction between students and R & D establishments. Dr. Mathana states, “We are working tirelessly towards providing quality technical education on par with day today industrial requirements above the curriculum defined by the affiliating university through well-established eminent centers of academia, research by imparting knowledge, relevant practices and inculcating human values to work towards sustainable development.”
Today, CIT has many ambitious plans and the blueprints which are already set. Developing a world class facility on metal arc additive manufacturing system, creating an enhanced pro-engine research lab to support agricultural research activities, developing IoT enabled intelligent food grain warehouse monitoring system, publishing minimum 120 articles in reputed well indexed international journals, nurturing to file very minimum of 25 patens in this academic year (2019-20), achieving A++ grade in NAAC accreditation and becoming an Autonomous Institution are only few among them and its sure that CIT thrives hard to accomplish its Vision and Mission.