What makes T-Works India’s best prototyping centre

HYDERABAD: India’s largest and most equipped prototyping centre T-Works is all set to be inaugurated by IT Minister K T Rama Rao and Chairman of Foxconn (Hon Hai Technology Group) Young Liu on March 2.

Apart from being a one-of-its-kind government facility and housing a variety of equipment to make prototypes of any hardware, here are a few notable points that make T-Works stand as the best prototyping centre in India.

Q) Why is this called T-Works Phase-17

The overall plan is for works in a 2,50,000 sq ft grow, the current facility, covers 78,000 sq ft. The facility currently has Rs 11.50 crore worth equipment. This will grow by 10 times over the next 6-12 months. The facility would grow in terms of both area and value.

Q) What is the vision of T-Works?

“Experiment without the fear of failure”

T-Works vision is to create and celebrate a culture of hobbyists, makers and innovators, who explore and experiment.

Q) What kind of users can engage with T-Works and how?

-Works caters to a wide range of users. They include students, hobbyists, tinkerers, children, makers, innovators, startups. MSMEs, and corporations. Users can engage through a wide variety of ways such as-services, workshops, training programs, events, and competitions, make-a-thons,

Q) What services does T-Works provide for users? Users can make the most of T-Works through:

1. Equipment rental: Users rent time on equipment Users must undergo relevant safety and machine operation training in order to be eligible to rent and operate equipment.

2 Prototyping services: Users create the design, T-works fabricates

3. Collaboration: End-to-end product development in collaboration between user and T-Works.

Q) What is the standard procedure to approach T-Works?

Users come to T-Works through multiple channels - website, email, references from partner incubators, academia, and industry. Users can send an email to solutions@tworks in

Q) Does T-Works do mass manufacturing?

No, T-Works does not mass manufacture. We support prototyping and, on a case-to-case basis, small volume production; however, we facilitate vendor connections for mass manufacturing support to our users.

Q) What is the pricing philosophy for services?

The pricing philosophy is built on encouraging people from all backgrounds to avail our services. We have a wide range of discounts exclusive for students, startups, MSMEs and rural innovators.

Q) Can anyone operate or use the equipment?

People will be allowed to operate and use the equipment after undergoing safety and machine training. Few industrial grade machines will be operable only by T-Works employees.

Q) Does T-Works take equity or IP in the startups they support?

T-Works does not take any equity in the startups we support. T-Works provides IP protection for users through standardised IP agreements. The IP developed by external users will belong to them. Similarly, IP developed in-house by T-Works will belong to T-Works with the option to licence out T-Works IP to external entities.

Q) How can students and innovators make most of the facility?

Students can contribute, learn and finish their project works with the help of our team and capabilities. Our infrastructure is also very conducive for academia to carry out research and design products that have scalable impact.

Q) How does T-Works compare itself to other innovation hubs and incubators in India and around the world?

Incubators, in the traditional sense, support startups with co-working spaces, mentorship, ideation, go-to-market strategies and so on.

T-Works, apart from having a wide range of users apart from startups, focuses on the development of the product itself. This involves knowledge of design, engineering, fabrication, sourcing, materials etc. Anybody can approach T-Works at any stage of their product development journey. We also emphasise the need for collaboration through connections with vendors, suppliers, and industry.

Q) What shops and spaces are in TWorks currently?

1. Laser Cutting & Engraving

2. Testing Lab (Environmental, Vibration, Metrology)

3. Electronics Lab

4 3D Printing

5. Welding

6. Metal Shop

7 Wood Shop

8. Garage space

9. Ceramics studio

10. Library

11. Retail store

Q) What shops and capabilities will be there in the future?

1. PCB Fabrication (Up to 14 layers)

2 Plastics and composites

3. Finish shop

4. Advanced Rapid prototyping lab

5. Textile lab

6. Advanced sheet metal operations

7. Industrial 3D printing (Multijet, SLS)

8. Metal 3D Printing

9. Digital cutting

10. Advanced communication (RF lab) testing

11. e Mobility development

12. Unmanned Systems (Ground, Water, Air)

13. Advanced Testing lab