3-D printing development may be 'problematic'

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Children use 3-D printers at a science fair hosted by a company in Wuhan, Hubei province. Chu Lin / for China Daily

Although its application in the technology sector has given 3-D printing a high profile, a number of Chinese entrepreneurs and investors have expressed a pessimistic view of its likely development in the near future.

"Some people have said that 3-D printing will bring about a manufacturing revolution, but that's an exaggeration," said Ru Fangjun, founder of HangZhou Xundian Technology Co, which deals in 3-D printing devices in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Ru has been keeping an eye on the prospects for 3-D printing for two years. In 2011, he opened a 3-D photo studio in Hangzhou, producing models for clients at a price of 2,000 yuan ($326) per item. Business was slow, though, and so Ru closed the studio after just eight months.

"On average, I only had one deal a week, which was far from enough to make ends meet," he said. Even though Ru wasn't doing much business, a large number of people still visited his premises. However, they weren't interested in printing their 3-D models, instead they were searching for investment opportunities.

"Most of them were wealthy businessmen who were interested in the concept of 3-D printing but didn't know much about the industry. I received a lot of visitors. In some extreme cases, more than 20 a day," said Ru.

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