China forges ahead in 3D technology

Economist : China is taking off in the 3D printing business. The printers, also known as additive-manufacturing machines, build objects layer by layer from powdered materials that are sintered into place with a laser. The result creates almost no waste compared with the subtractive process of traditional techniques, which use cutting tools to carve out objects from various materials. Because building things up is slower than trimming them down, however, 3D printers are not yet ready for use in mass production. Nevertheless, China has found a booming market in building prototypes for the aerospace and automotive industries. Parts that would take a conventional machine shop months to create can be done by the 3D printing process in weeks. In addition, the country is also manufacturing and selling the printers. The rapid pace at which China has taken on this new technology may make it increasingly difficult for the US to revive its own manufacturing and production industries, according to an article in the Economist magazine.