In recent years, the 3D printing market develops rapidly, and personal 3D printing market has opened. From 1994 to 2011, the global 3D printer market has maintained growing at a high rate, and compound growth rate is up to 17.6%. In 2011, sales of global personal 3D printing equipment showed explosive growth. Sales volume soared from 5987 units to 23265 units, an increase of nearly 300%. This sharply exceeds the growth rate of commercial 3D printing equipment.

Jinmo net Industry Research Center released the "2015-2020 Chinese 3D printing industry market research and investment strategy analysis report" shows that in 2013 the global 3D printing market size is of about 4 billion dollars. It is almost double size compared to 2012. Its general distribution is about 1 billion U.S. dollars in Europe, 1.5 billion dollars in the United States, and China's share is of about 300 million dollars. In 2017, 3D printing equipment sales is expected to reach nearly 50-60 billion dollars, and the entire market will maintain a growth rate of nearly 20%.

The competitive structure of global 3D printing market 

In 2013, global 3D printing market size is of about 4 billion dollars, almost double size of 2012. Its general distribution is about 1 billion dollars in Europe, about 1 billion 500 million in the United States, and China's share is of about 300 million dollars. According to national statistics, the number of industrial 3D printers sets are: the United States accounted for 38%, ranking first; followed by Japan accounted for 9.7%; Germany ranking third accounted for 9.4%; China accounted for fourth of the total.

General situation of the development of 3D printing industry in China

1. Analysis on domestic 3D printing market size 

Domestic 3D printing technology started late. However, since the concept of 3D released, it was immediately touted. In recent years, 3D printing technology is gaining its popularity domestically. According to statistics by Luobaihui, in 2012, China’s 3D printing market size was of about 1 billion yuan, and in 2013 it was doubled to reach 2 billion yuan. However, compared with the developed countries such as the United States and Germany, China’s 3D printing industry is still in the initial stage, and the domestic 3D printing applications still stay in the research stage, failing to meet the scale promotion at the field of industrial and personal consumption.

2. Status of domestic 3D printing industry technology 

China's 3D printing technology research started in the last century in 90s, and technology research and development tasks mainly depended on Tsinghua University, Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and many other well-known colleges and universities and some professional R&D institutions. Luo Baihui believes that through over 20 years of efforts, China's 3D printing technology has made considerable progress. 3D printing technology patent applications increased year by year, with a share of 10%, accounting for the world's position of third. There are great achievements in 3D printing equipment manufacturing technology, 3D printing material technology, 3D design and software development and 3D printing industrial application research. Laser metal processing technology and biological cell 3D printing technology have reached the international advanced level. China's 3D printing technology production level has been greatly improved. Some domestic enterprises have achieved a certain degree of industrialization, and part of the portable desktop 3D printers have the price of international competitiveness, successfully entering the European and American markets. At present, the domestic 3D printing material technology level is comparatively lagging behind. There is still a gap between the performance and stability of domestic 3D printing equipment and the world advanced level.

3. Development status of domestic 3D printing enterprise 

At present, the domestic 3D printing enterprises are still in the development stage. The development and production of 3D printing equipment mainly has 2 forms: one is represented by Yin Hua in Beijing, Hengtong intelligent machine in Shanxi and Binhu electrical in Hubei, depending on University research results to operate 3D printing equipment industrially, to achieve the overall production and sales; the other is represented by Zijinlide in Nanjing. Through technology introduction combined with self development, it achieves the machine production and sales of the 3D printing.

Although prices of some portable desktop 3D printer have international competitiveness, successfully entering the European market. But these companies are generally small in size, and the product technology is still in the low-end level. Compared with foreign manufacturers of similar products, print accuracy, print speed, print size and software support are difficult to satisfy the commercial needs. Part of the eastern developed regions take the purchase of 3D printing equipment, specifically for the development of related enterprises and production services. The scope of its services involve in the design of mold, sample production, auxiliary design, heritage restoration and other fields. It can achieve good economic benefits. At the same time, driven by the government and the interests, part of the upstream industry chain enterprises have also considered the development of investment in the production of 3D printing equipment and services. The number and size of 3D printing companies will be further expand.

4. The layout of domestic 3D printing industry

At present, the development of 3D printing industry in China has accelerated the growth rate, but the development is not balanced. The technical emphasis is more obviously influenced by the regional economics. Beijing, Shanxi, Shanghai are top cities of largest number of domestic 3D printing patent applications. 3D printing focuses on the research of biological manufacturing, plastic molding, image data processing, and digital data processing. In Shanxi, Liaoning, Hubei and other provinces of heavy industry base, 3D printing research focuses on metal powder forming, laser sintering method, metal plating and so on. Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces have relatively good base on light industry and bio pharmaceutical, so 3D printing industry and technology research focuses on biological manufacturing and plastic molding. At the same time, the development of 3D industry is limited by the regional human resources, and the development is very uneven. At present, the domestic 3D printing is more prominent in the provinces and cities having the support of universities, such as the Beijing Tsinghua University, Shanxi Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Hubei Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Shanghai University, Donghua University and other colleges and universities in Shanghai. These universities not only bring together the 3D printing technology leader in the field, bring out a number of research teams, but also lead to its 3D printing technology research.