Wikipedia defines 3D Printing as a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. This industry has seen lot of interest in the recent times, with a 3D printed candy recently witnessed at SXSW. Few weeks back, we did an elaborate coverage of the 3D Printing Startups in India. We recently came across a 3D Printing Service Startup from Cambodia – the first one to provide 3D Printing services in the country. Founded by Ki Chong Tran and Ki How Tran, ArcHub Pnh provides 3D models to businesses and is in plans to build their own 3D Printer.
Ki Chong Tran has graduated from University of California San Diego with a degree in International Economics. He spent 4 years in the aerospace industry exporting aircraft parts, before ArcHub Pnh. His brother Ki How Tran has an intrinsic talent for engineering and working with machines. He assembled the first 3D printer in Cambodia.Their parents are Chinese and born and raised in Cambodia leaving to the United States during the war. Both Ki Chong Tran and his brother were born and raised in California.
Team ArcHub Pnh
The startup currently has a Makerbot Replicator 2 that was brought from the USA, and a Rostock Max which was a kit assembled in Cambodia. Ki Chong tells us that, they have purchased another 3D printer kit that should be shipped in July and they plan to use this new printer as the basis to develop their own 3D printer.
Talking on the market adoption, Ki Chong tells us, “Yes I see more and more businesses using 3D printing as it becomes more powerful and easier to use. Now it is still very new so people are not sure how to use it or what benefits it has.”
When Ki Chong first read about 3D printer, he had the feeling that this could change the way we make almost everything. A few weeks later he heard President Obama say the same thing in his State of the Union address. That led him to keep learning more about it and develop his own ideas. The team’s current challenges are finding market and customer base. “Because we focused on 3D printing and are in Cambodia we have the added problem of not very many people know about 3D printing so we have to develop a market from nothing and educate potential customers on a new technology”, says Ki Chong.
The team creates 3D printer ready files for architecture, engineering, and product design, so the user can print it on their own 3D printer. While providing support in English and Khmer, the team specializes in 3D programs such as Autodesk: 3DS Max and 123D Design. Their biggest project to date is this.
Talking about the near future plans, the brother duo wants to create market for 3D printing in Cambodia, educate locals how to use 3D printer and develop own 3D printer in Cambodia.
“Being first in Cambodia is not difficult because many people outside Cambodia are reluctant to come here because of the history and reputation. I believe Cambodia has a lot of potential and its rapid development is an exciting opportunity for anyone with good ideas and an open mind.”, concludes Ki Chong.
