Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1394990
4 NEWS 22.7.2021 Malta's largest 3D print farm opens ONE of the fastest-growing start-up firms in Malta has moved to large new premises in the Bulebel Industrial Es- tate. Invent 3D has created the biggest 3D print farm on the island, less than three years after it started work in a tiny ga- rage in Zabbar. e business was set up by husband- and-wife team David and Alexandra Sciberras in 2018, and now employs seven people. "e move to our new premises inside the Toly factory is a major milestone for us at Invent 3D," David said. "Our continuous expansion has led us to move into this massive new facility measuring 500sq.m. We have more than 130 printers available to our customers, for prototyping and manufacturing. It is a true powerhouse for 3D printed prod- ucts and services in Malta, frequently catering for product runs of over 5,000 pieces in a lean and agile manner. We are now at a point where we can help our clients inject 3D Printing into Prod- uct Development cycles seamlessly." Andy Gatesy, chairman and chief ex- ecutive of Toly, said this was a unique opportunity for any customer who is looking for a mix of both conventional and additive manufacturing in the same plant. In its short time, Invent 3D has worked on several major projects, including PPE and plastic masks during the Cov- id pandemic, architectural models, tool manufacturing, medical devices, digital dentistry, trophy manufacturing and more. Customers include Alliance Malta, Methode, Comtec, Electrogas, SiGMA, Lovin Malta, Liquorish, Toly, Evolve, Remax, Mater Dei Hospital and a num- ber of top hotels in Malta. David, 28, previously worked as an in- novation engineer at Toly with a Mas- ters in Integrated Product Develop- ment, while Alexandra, 29, is a qualified pharmacist and graphic designer with four years of experience in 3D printing and design. New state-of-the-art sim racing centre hopes to take esports to the next level A €300,000 investment in a state-of- the-art sim racing facility at the Mon- tekristo estate in Ħal Farruġ is set to take the esport sector to the next level in attracting international events. With 17 simulators, the centre comes with all the necessary facilities for ad- judication and race direction of on- line and offline races, telemetry room, broadcast facilities, which also includes a multi-purpose studio that accommo- dates the hosting of race commentators as well as hosting informative and edu- cational programmes. Founder and CEO of World Pro Rac- ing Justin Mifsud said the organisa- tion coordinates international virtual championships, targeting serious and focused drivers who are looking to be- come "champions", and provides the op- portunity to get a seat in the world of motorsport through sim racing. He also pointed out that apart from real athletes, sim racing involves oth- er roles such as motorsport engineers. "This ranges from broadcast direc- tors, camera people, video editors, social media content creators, com- munity managers, stewards, race di- rectors, in-game content creators and developers." Mifsud said that over the last two years, the company made a big leap for- ward on an international level, through an enhanced online presence. is has led to around 500,000 monthly views. "is forms a solid base on which to hold international events and strength- en worldwide partnerships, some of which can boast of over 200 million subscribers worldwide, like ESTV, and including the renowned Motorsport.tv together with ES1 the French Broad- casting partner and also TVM Sport, our local broadcasting partner," he said. is helped World Pro Racing to onboard international partners such as AMD, HyperX, rustmaster, GT Omega Racing, Panasonic, Datavideo, Medialooks and Esports Insider as its official international news publishing partner. e facility will also help in attracting international esports stakeholders. Situated at Montekristo Estate in Ħal Farruġ, this new centre seeks to provide opportunities to young people and stu- dents who are following courses in me- dia studies, enabling them to build their digital related skills in a virtual environ- ment, eventually leading to the possibil- ity of a career in esports. It will be accessible for all those who want to try this sport, and also to any- one wanting to enjoy such an amazing experience, as well as providing private training for professional drivers, dedi- cated sessions, team building activities, private championships and fun events for groups of friends and more. Addressing the event, Economy Minis- ter Silvio Schembri said the investment highlights government's commitment in strengthening the esports sector. "Malta's vision for video games devel- opment and esports is a vision which, as can be attested here today, is paving the way for the establishment of a strong in- frastructure which is evidently serving as the foundation for the ultimate Med- iterranean and European central hub for the sector," he said.