3D printing set to become more mainstream

China's first 3D 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 3D 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 3D printing sector at the moment in China.

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