China's high-tech 3D printers see expanding applications, capture 90 pct of global market share

China's 3D printing industry is moving out of laboratories into more widespread industrial production and consumer markets, driven by technological advancements, an expanding field of applications and a growing demand for exports of practically-sized high-tech printers.

As the sector enters a new phase of rapid development, Chinese companies have been developing a new range of world-leading products and China now holds an approximately 90 percent share of the global consumer-grade 3D printing market.

Since the beginning of this year, a more functional series of consumer-grade 3D printers, which are now roughly the size of a microwave oven, have gained strong popularity due to their affordability and ease of use.

These desktop devices, which allow users to print their own unique designs in just a few simple steps, are rapidly gaining traction among overseas hobbyists, small workshop owners, and in educational settings.

At the same time, with remarkable improvements in printing efficiency, material performance, and equipment stability, the number of application scenarios for Chinese-made 3D printers continues to grow.

In the medical field, 3D printing is being used to produce highly customized products such as surgical tools as well as dental restorations, orthopedic implants, and hearing aids, making a considerable difference to patients.

In the aerospace sector, complex internal structures such as heat exchangers and injectors that are often deemed complex to produce through traditional manufacturing methods can now be printed directly as a single piece, resulting in higher efficiency, lighter components, and better performance.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China released in May showed that in the first four months of 2026, China's 3D printer production increased by more than 50 percent year-on-year, while export volumes more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

Industry insiders say that amid other tech advances, the potential scope for 3D printing technology to be adopted is also widening.

"Applications in biomedicine, new energy vehicles, and high-end molds continue to expand. Looking ahead, with sustained breakthroughs in technology, cost reduction, and efficiency gains, the industry's total output is gradually moving toward the 100-billion-yuan mark (over 14.7 billion U.S. dollars)," said Li Fangzheng, head of the Equipment Industry Development Center under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

China's high-tech 3D printers see expanding applications, capture 90 pct of global market share

China's high-tech 3D printers see expanding applications, capture 90 pct of global market share

Armed police officers and soldiers, in coordination with multiple professional rescue forces, are conducting in-depth search and rescue operations for missing people in the core disaster zone in Mingkeng Village of east China's Jiangxi Province.

At around 07:00 on Tuesday, the rescue headquarters integrated 12 professional teams, including the armed police, public security, and the fire department, to launch a search-and-rescue operation for missing persons in the hardest-hit area of the Shixia group of Mingkeng Village.

As of 18:00 on Tuesday, the mudslide that occurred in the early hours of Saturday has killed 12 people, including one newly identified missing person found in subsequent searches. At present, one person remains unaccounted for, and rescue forces are intensifying their search and rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, the Ji'an Detachment of the Jiangxi Armed Police Force deployed officers and soldiers to extend rescue efforts to surrounding disaster-affected townships.

On Tuesday morning, rescuers split into multiple teams and rushed to several villages in Zuo'an Township and Tanghu Township of Suichuan County to urgently evacuate the trapped residents.

Trapped in mountainous areas, villagers faced destroyed access roads and mountain paths that became slippery and impassable after days of heavy rainfall; most stranded residents were elderly people with limited mobility. The armed police officers and soldiers conducted door-to-door checks and carried the trapped residents on their backs, successfully evacuating all of them to safe zones.

"All village roads are completely impassable. The local residents here are all left-behind elderly people and children, and it is extremely difficult to complete the evacuation relying solely on the strength of the town government officials. This time, we are deeply indebted to the armed police officers and soldiers for their assistance in evacuating all these elderly residents," said Wang Yuli, deputy mayor of Tanghu Township in Suichuan County.

"The mountain slopes are covered in thick mud, making the ground extremely slippery. In some sections, stretchers cannot pass through at all, so rescuers have to carry the stranded people on their backs. As long as the people are safe, it is worthwhile to endure all the hardship and exhaustion," said Jiang Jiang, a soldier of the Ji'an Detachment of the Jiangxi Armed Police Force.

Rescuers intensify search efforts in mudslide-hit village in east China's Jiangxi