According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the production of 3D printing equipment in China will increase by 52.5% year-on-year in 2025. 3D printing technology is not new and has received widespread attention several years ago. However, pain points such as high costs and difficulty in mass production have constrained the industry's large-scale development. Nowadays, the production of 3D printing equipment has increased significantly, and technology is accelerating from laboratories to production lines and daily life scenarios. What factors are driving industry change? What opportunities and adjustments does the industry still face in its development? The significant increase in production of 3D printing equipment by 2025 is not accidental, but a direct reflection of strong downstream demand. On the consumer side, personalization and customization are becoming mainstream trends. Taking COS (role playing) and anime fields as examples, it was difficult and costly for players to obtain customized equipment and props in the past. Nowadays, players don't even need to purchase 3D printers to make them themselves. They can easily obtain high-precision finished products by ordering 3D printing services through e-commerce platforms, providing photos or product parameters. Xie Huihua, a 3D printing enthusiast in Chongqing, not only created toy models over 1 meter high for herself, but also brought 3D printers and products to the streets to set up stalls. Home consoles are affordable, and my child and I are learning AI modeling together to turn our ideas into reality. This not only promotes parent-child interaction but also cultivates children's interest in cutting-edge technology. ”Xie Huihua said. Cost reduction is the key driving force behind the flourishing of 3D printing technology. Thanks to the coordinated development of China's manufacturing industry chain, domestic 3D printer core components such as lasers and mirrors have made significant breakthroughs in recent years, with performance reaching international advanced levels and equipment manufacturing costs significantly reduced. The price of a consumer grade 3D printer has dropped from the "ten thousand yuan level" three years ago to the current "mid-range mobile phone price". The development of new alternative alloys has further reduced the cost of 3D printing and adapted to more application scenarios. AI technology has significantly lowered the operational threshold. Traditional 3D printing modeling requires specialized knowledge and skills, with complex and time-consuming operations. Nowadays, with the help of AI algorithms and intelligent software, users can input relevant parameters and requirements to complete modeling with just one click, greatly improving the efficiency and convenience of 3D printing and promoting its popularization in a wider range of fields. Automatic leveling and magnetic suction platform have become standard equipment for products, improving product accuracy. Cloud based algorithms allow users to complete printing without the need to master professional parameters, with simple operations, gradually fading the color of professional tools and transforming 3D printers into "home appliances". On the industrial side, 3D printing technology is becoming an important tool for enterprise research and flexible production. In the R&D process, enterprises use this technology to quickly produce samples, bridge the "imagination gap" between drawings and physical objects, shorten the R&D cycle, and reduce trial and error costs; In the production process, the trend of small batch and customized production is highly compatible with the technical characteristics of 3D printing, which can quickly manufacture samples. Hong Tao, Vice Chairman of the China Society of Consumer Economics and Director of the Institute of Business Economics at Beijing Technology and Business University, pointed out that 3D printing has deeply integrated with cultural creativity and educational technology in fields such as trendy figurines and educational models, creating new consumer symbols and experience scenarios, and becoming a new engine for industry growth. Policy capital drive has played a key role in promoting the market-oriented development of the 3D printing industry through policy guidance. In 2025, a series of policies will be introduced to promote innovation, industrial upgrading, and application expansion of 3D printing technology. In September, the Ministry of Commerce and eight other departments jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Vigorously Developing Digital Consumption and Co creating a Better Life in the Digital Age", which listed desktop level 3D printing equipment as a key digital consumer product for development. In November, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and six other departments jointly released the "Implementation Plan for Enhancing the Adaptability of Consumer Goods Supply and Demand to Further Promote Consumption", proposing to promote the use of 3D printing equipment in classrooms. This winter vacation, various 3D printing themed training camps have quietly become popular, and many educational and training institutions have launched training camp activities for 3D printing technology. The reporter learned from Beijing Mogao Education Technology Co., Ltd. that it has opened two 3D printing creation camps during the winter vacation in Beijing, mainly targeting students from grades 3 to 7, allowing them to not only learn 3D printing technology, but also cultivate innovative and problem-solving abilities through practice. Chen Xiaohua, executive director of the Institute of Education and Science and Technology of China Mobile Communications Federation, said that policy guidance not only promotes technological innovation and industrial upgrading, but also stimulates the innovative potential of young people through education integration to cultivate future talents for the industry. The synergistic resonance between this technology and policy is accelerating the construction of an innovation driven and diverse 3D printing industry ecosystem, injecting lasting momentum into the expansion of the consumer market and the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry. Technological innovation is the core driving force for the development of the 3D printing industry, and capital injection provides financial support for innovation. Since 2025, the domestic 3D printing industry has completed a number of financing. The investors include Internet companies and technology companies such as Meituan and Dajiang, as well as many venture capital institutions and industrial capital. The IPO (initial public offering) market is also full of vitality. Shenzhen Chuangxiang 3D Technology Co., Ltd. has submitted its prospectus to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange; Suzhou Jufu Technology Co., Ltd., which produces 3D printing materials, will restart the A-share IPO guidance process in April 2025; Several 3D printing companies, including Hangzhou Yijia 3D Additive Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Yuding Additive Manufacturing Research Institute Co., Ltd., are also in the process of IPO guidance or application. With abundant financial support, 3D printing companies are able to increase their R&D investment and promote product upgrades and replacements. Despite the booming development of the 3D printing industry, both in terms of technical services and business models, opportunities and challenges coexist. Beijing user Li Xin reported that nozzle clogging is a common and troublesome problem in the 3D printing process, and inconsistent melting points of materials can also affect the printing effect. These solutions cannot be found in the manual and require users to explore and make mistakes. To solve the problem of nozzle blockage, users need to have certain maintenance experience and skills, which is difficult for ordinary users. The reporter inquired with multiple sales companies about the after-sales service of 3D printer nozzle plugs. Some companies have stated that nozzles are consumables and will inevitably experience wear and tear during continuous use. Based on their consumable nature, nozzles are not covered by warranty; Some companies have stated that the nozzle will come with the entire machine warranty, but if it becomes clogged due to improper use or operational issues, it is not covered by the warranty. From the perspective of consumers, 3D printers are a new thing. Due to their involvement in multiple aspects such as 3D modeling, slicing software settings, and printing parameter adjustments, it is inevitable that various improper operations may occur due to insufficient familiarity with device performance and operating procedures. However, currently, consumer grade 3D printing equipment companies are not satisfactory in terms of after-sales service. In addition, the contradiction between diversified market demand and supply matching efficiency is prominent. With the application of 3D printing technology in various fields, the market demand presents diversified characteristics, but different application scenarios have significant differences in material and precision requirements, and product and service matching takes time. In addition, professional 3D printing service agencies are unevenly distributed, making it difficult to meet the demand of the sinking market, resulting in some demand being unable to be converted into sales. Zhu Keli, founding director of the National Research Institute for New Economy, stated that the shared manufacturing and leasing model provides a feasible path for small and medium-sized enterprises to use 3D printing technology, which can reduce initial investment and operating costs. Building regional 3D printing service centers can integrate resources to meet dispersed needs, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises to place orders and receive services as needed, saving equipment depreciation and maintenance costs. The leasing model combined with pay per use or installment payments can also alleviate the financial pressure on enterprises. However, these two modes also have practical constraints. Shared manufacturing needs to address issues such as order response speed and personalized demand adaptation, in order to avoid efficiency bottlenecks caused by centralized services. The leasing model faces challenges such as equipment loss accounting and technical support support, and requires clear delineation of rights and responsibilities between both parties. The key to implementation lies in establishing a reasonable cost sharing mechanism and standardized service processes to ensure the sustainable operation of the business model. ”Zhu Keli said. The industry is also actively exploring solutions. On the one hand, more and more 3D printing manufacturers are using e-commerce platforms to find customers, directly connect with customer needs, and improve demand response speed; On the other hand, on-demand manufacturing service providers have emerged in the 3D printing industry, using tools such as AI real-time quotation engines to apply artificial intelligence technology to the manufacturing procurement process, intelligently matching demand and production capacity, and gradually changing the traditional decentralized and inefficient supply chain situation. (New Society)