The students produce medical insoles and stents at the 3D printing workshop in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
The students produce medical insoles and stents at the 3D printing workshop in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
The students produce medical insoles and stents at the 3D printing workshop in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
The students produce medical insoles and stents at the 3D printing workshop in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

3D printing workshop in Abu Dhabi helps shape students for tech career


Haneen Dajani
  • English
  • Arabic

At a 3D printing workshop on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, a seven-men crew is producing medical insoles and stents that will be used by a major hospital operator in the UAE.

The Al Bahia workshop – the first of its kind in the world – has been a hive of activity all year as the men, who have various mental disabilities, manage production.

We did a customised assessment to evaluate the skills of students who can adapt and work on this technology

So far, they have made 227 pieces for Mediclinic Middle East.

The programme is an initiative by Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination (ZHO) to help develop students' skills for high-tech jobs.

Abdulla Al Humaidan, general secretary of ZHO, said since the start of the pandemic they have been researching ways to engage their students in the tech industry.

The idea to produce the therapeutic equipment was developed with Mediclinic Middle East and HP.

The students began training in January and started production in March.

They currently produce between 20 to 25 pieces a week.

“The students are still part of the training development programme and we look forward to keeping this as sustainable jobs for them with salaries,” said Mr Al Humaidan.

When The National visited on Tuesday for the workshop's official opening, the students explained the production process.

They receive the measurements from Mediclinic with all of the data in STL files – the format for 3D printing. The data is then downloaded and entered into the server.

Powder, the primary print material, is placed in one machine and transferred to another for shaping and printing.

“It takes around five hours to print. Then the products are placed in the cooling machine,” said senior trainer Thomas Fuldner.

“Once cooled down, the students start to vacuum out the [excess] powder.”

3D Printing Workshop-AD The first workshop to be managed by People of Determination where they have received specialized training, and passed all the tests to qualify them to work at the newly opened 3D Printing Workshop in Al Bahyah on June 22, 2021. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National Reporter: Haneen Dajani News
3D Printing Workshop-AD The first workshop to be managed by People of Determination where they have received specialized training, and passed all the tests to qualify them to work at the newly opened 3D Printing Workshop in Al Bahyah on June 22, 2021. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National Reporter: Haneen Dajani News

The products are taken for further cleaning in another chamber where they are washed and dried.

Ahmad Al Hameli, a student and assistant trainer, placed his hands carefully in the big gloves that give access to the products’ washing machine.

“This is for safety,” the 29-year-old Emirati said.

With his hands inside the machine, he rotated one product to rinse it properly from the powder.

Before joining the 3D printing programme, Mr Al Hameli worked for the centre’s medical workshop that makes casts for broken limbs.

“I still work there where the casts are produced traditionally. Here we are using technology to produce similar products, so I am on both sides of the coin, kind of.”

3D Printing Workshop-AD Vishnu Taimi, Vice President & Managing Director of HP supplying all the equipment to the newly opened 3D Printing Workshop in Al Bahyah on June 22, 2021. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National Reporter: Haneen Dajani News
3D Printing Workshop-AD Vishnu Taimi, Vice President & Managing Director of HP supplying all the equipment to the newly opened 3D Printing Workshop in Al Bahyah on June 22, 2021. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National Reporter: Haneen Dajani News

He waited for years before landing a job in the medical department in April 2018.

“First I was learning mathematics and training on cutting wood for objects that [are] used in trains, cars and so on,” he said.

“Then I trained on electronics for three years. We had a competition to dismantle a new radio device, and put it together again until it starts working; I won first place.”

Mr Al Hameli continued in electronics for three years before moving to the mechanics workshop.

In 2017, he requested a move to the medical casts workshop.

Carefully selected

Mr Al Humaidan said the students running the printing workshop were carefully selected.

“We did a customised assessment to evaluate the skills of students who can adapt and work on this technology,” he said.

During the summer, ZHO plans to take the programme even further.

“The second step will be for our boys to create the STL files; they will be trained to the scanning and software themselves,” Mr Al Humaidan said.

“We will go on trial in the beginning of July.”

Mr Al Humaidan said the project is important as it allows students to engage in new concepts and fields.

“To be honest, we saw an excitement and so much engagement from our students who were determined to be part of it.”

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEjari%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYazeed%20Al%20Shamsi%2C%20Fahad%20Albedah%2C%20Mohammed%20Alkhelewy%20and%20Khalid%20Almunif%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESanabil%20500%20Mena%2C%20Hambro%20Perks'%20Oryx%20Fund%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms

Sundar Pichai

Chief executive, Google and Alphabet

Satya Nadella

Chief executive, Microsoft

Ajaypal Singh Banga

President and chief executive, Mastercard

Shantanu Narayen

Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe

Indra Nooyi  

Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo

 

 

What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.

The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5

Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder /  3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now