SINGAPORE - Nanyang Technological University (NTU)'s innovation and enterprise company, NTUitive, has formed a 3D-printing joint venture with ISF Incubator, the technology-focused start-up accelerator arm of global invention and investment business Intellectual Ventures.

The Secur3DP+ joint venture will make additive manufacturing a viable option for more companies around the world, by creating a global 3D-printing network connecting companies with vetted service providers.

The Singapore-based start-up was funded initially by a contribution of seed capital from ISF Incubator.

Its system is built on a proprietary blockchain solution for transaction security, quality assurance and intellectual property (IP) protection, ISF Incubator said in a media statement on Thursday (May 30).

The blockchain-based transaction platform simplifies decentralised manufacturing by managing vendor compliance, file transfer, payment and fulfilment.

Secur3DP+ validates and authorises all projects to ensure that the right products are created and delivered in the most cost-effective way.

It will also enable start-ups and multinational corporations to protect and track their IP assets.

Secur3DP+ has acquired certain patents and patent applications related to 3D printing and embedded identifiers, and has access to NTU's expertise in 3D printing and blockchain.

ISF said that 3D printing has evolved from a tool for rapid prototyping to being capable of creating production-ready parts, which has drastically changed the design and manufacturing process.

To achieve true distributed manufacturing, companies will need secure workflow solutions, such as Secur3DP+, to protect their brand and intellectual property from counterfeiters, ISF added.

"Our company is filling a critical gap in the mass adoption of 3D printing," said Eng Kiat Low, chief executive officer of Secur3DP+.

"By creating a global ecosystem of trusted partners, we hope to accelerate the adoption of 3D printing and allow businesses all over the world to get the products they need and do so securely, anytime, anywhere," he said.

Jerome Hewlett, vice-president and head of Asia business development for ISF, said: "We continue to look for strong local entrepreneurs to lead other companies throughout the region."

ISF first partnered NTU in 2016 through the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster, which is led by NTUitive, to develop an embedded identifier module that allows 3D printers to mark unique physical identifiers within the structure of 3D-printed metal products.

The new Secur3DP+ start-up expands on this previous partnership.