AM Asia Watch: China’s 3D Printing Boom Is Creating a New Class of Micro-Manufacturers

• China’s additive manufacturing (AM) industry has spent years trying to reduce its reliance on foreign technology. In polymer 3D printing, domestic companies have already become major players. In metal AM,...

China’s additive manufacturing (AM) industry has spent years trying to reduce its reliance on foreign technology. In polymer 3D printing, domestic companies have already become major players. In metal AM, however, Western companies have historically dominated some of the most advanced industrial systems. But that may be changing. A recent funding announcement from Chinese wire-fed metal AM company Rongsu Technology offers a glimpse into a broader trend taking place across China’s manufacturing sector. The company secured nearly RMB 100 million ($14 million) in Series A funding earlier this year from the government-backed Zhongyuan Yuzi Group and the Suzhou High-tech Venture Capital Group to accelerate domestic, large-scale industrial AM. While the investment itself is amazing, the bigger