National Bureau of Statistics Names: 3D Printer Production Increased by 40.5% Year-On-Year

On October 20, 2025, Antarctic Bear learned that the National Bureau of Statistics released the economic data for the first three quarters today. From the overall data, "the economic operation in the first three quarters has been stable with progress, and high-quality development has achieved positive results." In the first three quarters, the industrial added value above designated size nationwide increased by 6.2% year-on-year, manufacturing grew by 6.8%, equipment manufacturing added value increased by 9.7% year-on-year, and high-tech manufacturing added value grew by 9.6%.

Among them, the growth of 3D printing equipment has once again become a key focus of the National Bureau of Statistics, with a growth rate surpassing that of industrial robots and new energy vehicles. "Looking at it by product,"3D printing equipmentIndustrial robots, new energy vehicle production outputIncreased by 40.5% year-on-year.、29.8%、29.7%。”

3D printing equipment frequently appears on the National Bureau of Statistics list.

The Antarctic Bear reviewed the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics over the past two years and found that 3D printing equipment frequently occupies a significant position in the growth rankings, mentioned no less than 10 times. Below are some production data:

In the first half of 2025, the output of 3D printing equipment increased by 43.1% year-on-year.
In April 2025, the production of 3D printing equipment increased by 60.7% year-on-year.
In the first quarter of 2025, the production of 3D printing equipment increased by 44.9% year-on-year.
In January and February 2025, the production of 3D printing equipment increased by 30.2% year-on-year.
In July 2024, the production of 3D printing equipment increased by 25.3% year-on-year.
In the first half of 2024, the production of 3D printing equipment increased by 51.6% year-on-year.
In May 2024, the output of 3D printing equipment increased by 36.3% year-on-year.
In the first quarter of 2024, the output of 3D printing equipment increased by 40.6% year-on-year.
In January and February 2024, the production of 3D printing equipment increased by 49.5% year-on-year.

Central media reports extensively

At the same time, consumer-grade 3D printers have been extensively reported by central media and major outlets, making 3D printing a hot topic once again, much like it was a decade ago. The difference is that, back then, it was more about hype, whereas today the 3D printing industry has developed and grown, finding applications in various fields and significantly broadening its user base.

Investment institutions are also rushing in to seize projects.

Recently, Nanji Bear reviewed the situation of 3D printing companies that received venture capital before the third quarter of 2025 and found that the situation is undergoing new changes. By the third quarter of 2025, Nanji Bear recorded that 61 3D printing companies collectively received 73 rounds of financing, with a total investment amount of approximately 5.7 billion yuan, already surpassing the entire last year. If efforts continue in the fourth quarter, the total financing amount is likely to exceed 7.3 billion yuan in 2023. In terms of large-scale investment and financing, almost every month there are major financing events involving amounts of over 200 million yuan.

Antarctic Bear Comments

Since 2025, we have observed a significant increase in the production of 3D printers in China. Last year, the production was 5 million units, and this year it might reach 7 million units. The vast majority are consumer-grade FDM 3D printers priced at a few thousand yuan each, with over 90% being for export, and the growth in numbers has reached the million level.

The top five manufacturers of consumer 3D printers in terms of shipment volume globally have four based in Shenzhen. According to Antarctic Bear, the explosion of consumer-grade 3D printing this year is mainly due to the growth of the user base among domestic and international 3D printing players, and the surge in demand from downstream application markets (such as 3D printed toys). Previously, the users were primarily skilled makers, but now an increasing number of ordinary individuals or companies are purchasing these printers for use; at the same time, the number of machines purchased by individual users is also on the rise.

In 2024, there was an explosion of 3D printing farms in China, with hundreds or even thousands of such farms emerging in a short period. Each farm was equipped with dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of 3D printers to manufacture popular toy products like jointed dragons, dragon eggs, and jointed snakes. The volume of printed and shipped items reached hundreds of millions. These end products, printed in vast quantities, were sold to people worldwide through online stores, street vendors, and cross-border e-commerce platforms, instantly giving tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of people a more direct and intuitive understanding and impression of 3D printing, significantly contributing to public education and awareness. Furthermore, with the development of AI 3D models, the threshold for 3D creation has been dramatically lowered, leading to an influx of fun and interesting models on the internet, encouraging people to engage in 3D printing.

Additionally, due to the significant increase in tariffs on international trade and the prevalence of deglobalization, global supply chains have been disrupted. However, 3D printing has the advantage of rapid localized manufacturing, allowing for swift production organization in extreme situations.

In terms of quantity, China's 3D printer shipments in 2024 will reach about 5 million units, accounting for more than 90% of the global total. In the next two to three years, shipments may reach 10 million units, achieving a new industry milestone.

In China's 3D printing industry directory, Antarctic Bear has already included a large number of consumer-grade and industrial-grade manufacturers, with the total exceeding 2,000.

Whether in consumer or industrial applications, 3D printing is experiencing a large-scale explosion. In addition to the production of toy figures reaching hundreds of millions, the application of metal 3D printing in the 3C field of smartphones and smartwatches is also expected to reach tens of millions of units annually. In the future, there is a high probability that our smartphones will contain 3D-printed components. In the aerospace sector, 3D printing is gradually becoming a necessary process for parts manufacturing, with an increasing number of 3D-printed components found in products like rockets and satellites. 3D-printed shoes are gaining traction as more sports brands embrace this technology, with stylish designs and breathable comfort leading to the shipment of hundreds of thousands or even millions of pairs of 3D-printed shoes.

Currently, there are already thousands of 3D printing companies in China. The huge market appeal has attracted more and more major manufacturers to enter the 3D printing industry. For example, BYD, Han's Laser, Luxshare Precision, and Zhongshan Precision have all jumped into the fray. The future landscape of the 3D printing industry may evolve from the current hundreds of billions market capacity centered around equipment and materials to a market potential worth over a trillion yuan focused on applications, with downstream applications having a much broader scope.