3-D printing set to become more mainstream

China's first 3-D printing booth is expected to accept its first customers by the end of the year, according to staff set to work at the new site in the Xicheng district of Beijing.

Instead of a two-dimensional picture, the outlet will provide customers with 3-D figures, said Shan Lili, from printer producer Beijing Suntop Tech Co Ltd, which will be running the outlet.

She told China Daily at the Seventh China Beijing International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, which closes on Sunday, that shop assistants will provide customers with a full body scan, from which they will be able to custom design miniature color models of themselves.

"A mouse click will automatically produce a solid model based on the pre-set three- dimensional data, without cutting or molding," said Shan.

"We have already been testing the system by providing the service to some institutions, colleges and enterprises."

She said the interest in their system has been huge from individuals and companies who have contacted them to assess the market potential for 3-D printing, and it is believed the company currently has an impressive order book.

"It will definitely be a revolutionary project once we put it into large-scale production," she said.

Prices for personal miniatures are not yet fixed, but the company is considering providing models of different sizes to cater to different budgets and tastes.

The development is just one of many being experienced in the 3-D printing sector at the moment in China.

According to Li Shuhua, an application engineer from Suntop, there has been hefty investment in the 3-D printing industry.

Prices for previously expensive methods and services are dropping, and fabrication is becoming cheaper and easier.

He added that the model technology is gaining popularity among amateur and professional users, and expects 3-D printers to become "must-have" gadgets.

"No one knows what the future holds for 3-D printers in the coming decade, but it definitely holds enormous potential," he said.

"The possibility of a 3-D printer in every home may still be years down the road, but certainly the technology has been gaining momentum, and I think it's only a matter of time before printers shift from being a high-end machine into a common household item," he said.

Current market

According to Li, the strongest market for 3D printing is currently in manufacturing, including aeronautics, astronautics, and other areas where accurate designs are commercially useful or necessary.

But demand is also growing in scientific research institutions.

The technology allows designers to generate accurate prototypes of designs quicker and cheaper, while the marketing industry is also benefiting by using systems to produce, for instance, pre-production sales samples.

"The technology greatly cuts back on sometimes lengthy research and development cycles," said Li.

"Some of our customers are institutions or colleges, while recently many businessmen have also come to us with the idea of a 3-D photo booth service.

"To have a mini version of yourself has been very popular abroad," he said. "And now Chinese merchants are also sensing the opportunity for this market."

He added the simple reason the niche market isn't yet in full swing is cost.

"For a 15-centimeter figurine, the cost is more than 1,000 yuan($160), as both the material and the machine are very expensive," he said.

Cheaper versions

But as the expensive 3-D printers remain out of reach of the common household, some lower-end devices have already been developed.

Wang Shenglin, founder of Beijing Maker Space, says it has created a mini 3-D printer that allows easy production of personal miniatures or photo sculptures.

"You don't get a mini-me version with 100 percent accuracy, but the experience itself is simply fun enough," he said.

According to Wang, the cost for an ordinary 3-D printer is around 3 million yuan, whereas the cost for his mini 3-D printer is only 10,000 yuan.

He added that his company is considering replacing plastic with chocolate in the future, so customers can create a chocolate version of themselves, or anything they have in mind, simply by scanning.

"It's fun for brides and grooms to have chocolate replicas of themselves on top of their wedding cakes," he said.

Earlier this month Su Bo, vice-minister of industry and information technology, encouraged companies to speed up their 3-D research and development with the offer of tax incentives.

Su said the productivity and resource efficiency of the world's biggest manufacturer will be greatly enhanced once the technology is put to broader use.

However, compared with overseas 3-D technology, domestically designed systems are still some way behind.

"The objects and gadgets produced by 3-D printers abroad are more accurate and precise in cutting, bending, molding and assembling," said Li.

"Those made in the domestic market are more rough and crude in shape and texture."

Li said many domestic 3-D printing companies are still developing software based on Western technology, and Chinese companies must start creating their own.

Li also mentioned the importance of self-regulation within the local industry.

As the technology becomes more mature, some 3-D printers are even able to produce guns or other products not deemed commercially appropriate.

As an emerging, industry "we have to have a collective responsibility to come up sensible products", he added.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn