Ten Hottest Events in China's 3D Printing Industry in 2024

As 2024 has just drawn to a close, industries across the board grappled with immense challenges, and the 3D printing sector was no exception. Despite the stark downturn in investment and financing—evidenced by the headline, "32 Companies Raised 3.75 Billion CNY: China's 3D Printing Industry Faces a Cliff-Like Drop in 2024"—the industry demonstrated resilience, achieving notable growth. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's report, "The Additive Manufacturing Industry is Expected to Exceed 50 Billion CNY in Revenue in 2024, Paving the Way for High-Quality Development in the Equipment Industry."

As a leading observer of China's 3D printing industry, Panda3dp.com has curated a retrospective of the most significant events that captivated attention in 2024.  

Below, from a media perspective, and based on factors such as influence and readership, we recount the ten most remarkable events in China's 3D printing industry for 2024. We hope that in the coming year, China's 3D printing sector continues to carve out extraordinary achievements.  

Event 1  

3D Printing Farms Surge in Popularity, Revolutionizing Mass Production of Toys  

2024 was undeniably the year of the 3D printing farm, catalyzing substantial growth in the consumer-grade 3D printer and materials market. This breakthrough elevated public perception of 3D printing and emerged as one of the industry's most prominent highlights.  

In August 2024, Panda3dp.com, in collaboration with the Shenzhen Formnext exhibition, successfully hosted the *First 3D Printing Farm Conference* in Shenzhen. The concept of "3D printing farms" gained traction in late 2023, exploding in popularity throughout 2024 and spurring excitement among stakeholders in the field.  

△The Site of the First 3D Printing Farm Conference (The registration for the Second 3D Printing Farm Conference has also been opened. <Notice: The Second 3D Printing Farm Conference>)

Statistics reveal that there are now over 1,000 3D printing farms across the country (a comprehensive list is available at https://www.Panda3dp.com.com/forum-250-1.html). Each farm operates tens to thousands of 3D printers, with the total installed capacity exceeding 70,000 machines, primarily from Creality. Manufacturers such as Creality, Anycubic, Snapmaker, Flashforge, and QIDI have introduced specialized models tailored to meet the unique demands of farm operators, fostering strong relationships with this burgeoning customer base. These farms are predominantly concentrated in regions with vibrant toy wholesale markets, such as Yiwu, Chenghai, and Shantou. In 2024, 3D printing became a revolutionary method for the rapid mass production of innovative toys, including the viral articulated dragons and dragon eggs, which sold tens of millions of units and brought 3D-printed products into countless households.  

△The 3D Printer Farm with a Thousand Printers in Yuncheng, Shanxi Supported by Creality 3D

Event 2  

Surging Exports of 3D Printers Propel Domestic Manufacturers into Global Markets  

In 2024, exports of domestically produced 3D printers continued to flourish. From January to September, China exported 2.845 million units of 3D printers (excluding components), with a total export value of 6.33 billion CNY. Annual export volume is expected to reach 4 million units, reflecting a 13% year-on-year growth. Export revenues for the year are estimated to range between 8 and 10 billion CNY.  

According to a report by the UK-based market intelligence firm CONTEXT, entry-level 3D printers (priced under $2,500) experienced explosive growth. In the second quarter of 2024, this category accounted for 48% of global 3D printing revenue, overtaking industrial systems (38%) as the top revenue contributor. Over 94% of all entry-level 3D printers shipped worldwide (priced under $1,500) originated from Chinese suppliers.  

Amid intensified domestic competition, an increasing number of Chinese 3D printing companies sought opportunities abroad. At the Formnext 2024 exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, over 860 companies in the 3D printing ecosystem participated, with Chinese exhibitors exceeding 100 for the first time, establishing themselves as a significant force at the event. Panda3dp.com conducted extensive on-site interviews, capturing videos of hundreds of companies to help domestic audiences stay abreast of global advancements in 3D printing technologies.  

Event 3  

Domestic 3D Printing Manufacturers Expand Production Capacities  

In 2024, a cohort of Chinese 3D printing companies ramped up production, with newly constructed industrial parks coming online.  

Creality inaugurated its Huizhou 3D Printing Industrial Park with a staggering investment of 690 million CNY. The facility, designed to produce 5 million 3D printers annually, marks a significant step forward in realizing Creality’s capacity expansion plans. Panda3dp.com attended the grand opening ceremony.  

BLT (Bright Laser Technologies) commenced construction on its third-phase projects for additive manufacturing powder material production, with an investment of 1 billion CNY, aiming to increase capacity to 3,000 tons annually. The fourth-phase projects for large-scale intelligent metal additive manufacturing production lines have entered the equipment installation phase.  

Farsoon Technologies officially launched its new industrial park spanning 122 acres. With an investment exceeding 1 billion CNY, the facility is six times larger than its predecessor, significantly enhancing production capacity and overall innovation.  

Su Zhou Beifeng Intelligent relocated to a state-of-the-art factory encompassing tens of thousands of square meters. This new site includes independent powder production and assembly facilities, solidifying its position in the metal 3D printing supply chain.  

AVIC Maite expanded its Langfang base with an additional 7,000 square meters of dedicated metal 3D printing equipment R&D and manufacturing facilities, supplementing its Beijing and Jiangsu sites, increasing total production capacity to 200 units annually.  

The 3D casting factory of Sandi Technology in Daming, Hebei has been officially put into production. With a total investment of 350 million CNY, it covers an area of 70 mu (approximately 4.67 hectares), and the total construction area is 24,600 square meters. It has the integrated service capability of "process design + 3D printing + casting + machining and inspection", and can achieve an annual output of 20,000 tons of high-end aluminum alloy parts. Moreover, it has acquired Henan Zhonghongtong. The 3D casting factory of Henan Zhonghongtong occupies an area of 180 mu (approximately 12 hectares) and can achieve an annual output of 5,000 tons of high-end aluminum alloy parts.

The production capacity of CNPC POWDER in the metal 3D printing powder industry grew rapidly in 2024. It has built more than twenty production lines with different technological processes, such as Vacuum Induction Gas Atomization (VIGA), Plasma Spheroidization (PS), Plasma Rotating Electrode Process (PREP), and the self-developed AMP production line. These production lines cover the production capacity of thousands of tons of spherical powders including aluminum alloy powder, titanium alloy powder, copper alloy powder, iron alloy powder, and nickel alloy powder. In addition, it has established subsidiaries in Europe and North America to provide sales and services for the global market.

Waleri has officially moved into its headquarters factory area. There are currently more than 20 metal powder production lines, and more than 20 production lines are under construction. The annual production capacity of metal powder is 4,000 tons per year. The third-phase project is about to start construction.

TSC has been officially renamed as Jinghe Laser Technology Co., Ltd. Its headquarters has been relocated to Huzhou, forming an industrial layout with Huzhou as the headquarters, Beijing as the technological research and development center, Shenyang as the service, machining, and welding base, Weifang as the additive manufacturing printing service base, Tianjin as the additive manufacturing equipment research and development base, Anhui as the additive manufacturing equipment production line base, and Guangdong as the marketing center in South China. The total floor area is approximately 180,000 square meters. The Raiming Laser metal 3D printing equipment under its umbrella can achieve an annual production task of 450 sets per year.

Boli Technology has established a wholly-owned subsidiary in Weiyang Economic Development Zone, Yangzhou, and has invested in the construction of the ultra-high-speed 3D printing intelligent cloud factory project. The Yangzhou Guangli Ultra-high-speed 3D Printing Intelligent Cloud Factory Project has been officially put into production in Weiyang Economic Development Zone. The total investment of this project is 1 billion CNY.

Kings has initiated new production base projects in Chongqing, Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and other places, comprehensively enhancing its production capacity and forming a national layout that fully covers the six core regional markets of "South China + Central China + East China + Northwest China + North China + Southwest China".

Event 4  

Groundbreaking 3D Printing Research Published in ,<Science> and <Nature>  

The year 2024 marked a milestone for 3D printing as the technology solidified its role as a transformative force in manufacturing while extending its influence into multidisciplinary applications such as healthcare, engineering, and material sciences. Prestigious journals Science and Nature published ten breakthrough papers in the field, with four led by Chinese institutions. These included Chongqing University, the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and Zhejiang University—highlighting the dynamism of 3D printing research in China.  

According to Panda3dp.com, over 400 expert research teams across China are actively working on 3D printing projects (a complete list is available at https://www.Panda3dp.com.com/forum-251-1.html).  

△Three Papers Published in <Nature> and One Paper Published in <Science> by Chinese Scientific Researchers in 2024

Event 5  

Patent Lawsuits: Stratasys Targets Chinese 3D Printing Companies  

Global 3D printing giant Stratasys filed patent infringement lawsuits against six Chinese companies in the United States District Court for the Eastern District. As a pioneer with over 2,600 patents, Stratasys accused companies such as Shenzhen-based Bambu Lab and Beijing-based Tiertime Technology of infringing its core FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology patents.  

The accused companies include:  

- Shenzhen Tuozhu Technology Co., Ltd.  

- Bambu Lab Limited  

- Tuozhu Technology Limited  

- Shanghai Outline Technology Co., Ltd.  

- Beijing Tiertime Technology Co., Ltd.  

- Beijing Yinghua Laser Rapid Forming Co., Ltd.  

This legal battle underscores the mounting global competition in the 3D printing industry.  

Event 6  

3D Printers Dominate Sales During Singles’ Day Shopping Festival  

By midnight on November 11, 2024, the Singles’ Day shopping festival saw record-breaking sales across the 3C electronics sector. Brands such as Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei, DJI, and Nintendo achieved transaction volumes exceeding one billion CNY. Among them, Tuozhu emerged as the top seller in the office and educational equipment category for similar products.  

Notably, the festival kicked off on October 14, with unprecedented discounts combined with government subsidies. Tuozhu’s flagship models—P1S and A1—were available at just 2,379 CNY and 1,393 CNY, respectively, after discounts. These prices were even lower than second-hand listings on major platforms, significantly boosting consumer demand and setting a new sales record.  

Event 7  

3D Printing Industry Revenue Surpasses 50 Billion CNY in 2024  

As an emerging industry, 3D printing continued its growth trajectory in 2024. According to a report by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Equipment Industry Division, the sector’s revenue surpassed 50 billion CNY for the year, marking a 25% year-on-year increase.  

While challenges such as intense domestic competition persisted, the overall growth reflects a thriving landscape. Guangdong province stood out as a leader, with its 3D printing sector surpassing 10 billion CNY in output value.  

Event 8  

SLM Metal 3D Printers Enter the Two-Meter Era with Breakthrough Innovations  

In 2024, the boundaries of selective laser melting (SLM) technology were pushed further, with new metal 3D printers capable of producing components exceeding two meters in size.  

Eplus3D unveiled its EP-M2050 printer, featuring a build chamber of 2058mm × 2058mm × 1100mm, customizable to a height of 2000mm. This advanced system significantly expands the application of SLM technology in manufacturing large-scale components, offering efficiency of up to 1,080 cm³/h with stainless steel—a 100% improvement over previous models.  

Meanwhile, BLT (Bright Laser Technologies) introduced the BLT-S825, boasting a build volume of 850mm × 850mm × 2500mm. This printer addresses the demand for ultra-tall components with seamless integration.  

Other notable advancements included Hua Suo High-Tech’s collaboration with Germany’s Headmade Technologies to develop cold metal fusion (CMF) technology, enabling support-free titanium alloy printing on SLS machines.

Similarly, emerging techniques like West Air’s “forge printing” and Mofang Precision’s ultra-thin 3D-printed dental veneers showcased the industry’s innovative spirit.  

Xikong Zhizao has introduced the "Forging Printing Technology", which is based on the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) method and incorporates synchronous conventional SLM lasers and pulsed intensified lasers, enabling the internal stress generated during the printing process to be effectively controlled.

BMF Precision has launched an ultra-thin 3D-printed dental veneer with a thickness of merely 80μm. Shining 3D has released a brand-new 3D printer named Midas that can print three ceramic dental restorations within 10 minutes.

Companies such as BLT, Farsoon Technologies, and Zhongrui Technology have successively introduced more refined micron-level metal 3D printing technologies.

Major 3C manufacturers like Apple, Huawei, and Honor have shown a keen interest in titanium alloy 3D printing, which has led to a sharp increase in the demand for titanium alloy powder materials and also prompted various equipment manufacturers to develop corresponding equipment and processes for 3C applications. The application of 3D printing in metal shoe molds has witnessed a boom. The 3D-printed shoe molds have already been used to produce and market over 100 million pairs of finished shoes. The fully 3D-printed integrated slippers became a new favorite in the market in the summer of 2024, with tens of thousands of pairs sold.

Event 9  

Financing in the 3D Printing Sector Sees a Sharp Decline  

From 2017 to 2023, investments in China’s 3D printing industry experienced consistent growth, rising from 900 million CNY to 7.3 billion CNY. However, 2024 witnessed a sharp downturn, with total investments plummeting to 3.75 billion CNY—a 49% decrease year-on-year.  

Despite the decline, the decrease reflects broader capital market challenges rather than an industry downturn. Notable companies securing funding in 2024 include Shining 3D, INSPIR3D, VTOP Technology, and several others, focusing on industrial-grade 3D printers, materials, and application services.  

Event 10  

Domestic Manufacturers Achieve Breakthroughs in Core 3D Printing Components  

Historically, Chinese 3D printers relied heavily on imported core components, such as lasers and galvanometers for SLM systems and inkjet heads for sand-based machines. However, in 2024, domestic suppliers made significant strides in core component technology, gaining recognition and market share.  

Leading companies like Baocenxin, S&C Laser, GD Laser, and JPT Laser delivered over 5,000 units of lasers for additive manufacturing. Their products are now widely used by industry giants such as Farsoon Technologies, HBD, and Eplus3D, marking a pivotal shift toward localized production of critical components.  

These were Panda3dp.com’s picks for the ten most impactful events in China’s 3D printing industry in 2024. Do you agree, or do you believe another event deserved the spotlight?  

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