China attaches great importance to advancing manufacturing and 3D printing technology

    The intelligent manufacturing system, featuring the deep integration of information technology and manufacturing technology, is leading a fundamental change in the whole manufacturing industry. In a bid to change the economic development mode, the 3D printing technology has outlined ways which China developed from a big country of manufacturing to a strong country in this regard. 

    “The manufacturing is the lifeblood of our country. The first topic lectures held by our government focus on advancing manufacturing and 3D printing, which shows that our country would make concerted efforts on this regard to seize the initiative in international manufacturing competition,” said Liu Haibo, the researcher of the Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Science. “In recent years, the competition of manufacturing among economic powers has been increasing concentrated on advancing manufacturing, 3D printing and other vital areas. Because it presents not only the product itself, but embodies the manufacturing intelligence, environmental protection and personalization.” Liu adds.

    As one of the representatives for advancing manufacturing, 3D printing technology is in a golden age. In recent years, China has made remarkable progresses in this regard. From 2013 and 2014, China filed more than 1,000 invention patent applications in this field, which exceeded the number of patents filed in the past twenty years combined. As of the April 2015, China has filed 2,000 patent applications in this filed, accounting for nearly 30% of the world’s total. Currently, China has passed Germany in patent layout of 3D printing technology, behind the U.S. and Japan. Some experts, however, said that China still has a long way to go. The patent applications in 3D printing are mostly filed by colleges and scientific institutions, and the level of industrialization is low. As 3D printing technology is still in early stages, the number of patent applications, researcher and core patents are lower than the U.S. “If you know yourself and your enemy, you will never lose a battle. If China wants to accelerate the development of 3D printing technology and catch up developed countries, the patent information would play an important role in it.” Zhang Yadong, the research fellow at Patent Searching and Consulting Center of SIPO, said in his article. Although China has launched a flurry of programmes to encourage the development of 3D printing industry, the Chinese companies should pay more attention to patent information and use such information to accelerate the rapid development of 3D printing industry.

    “In the current situation, the entrepreneurship and innovation based on cutting-edge technology and emerging industry has both novelty and penetrability, ” in Liu Haibo’s view, the business creation and innovation platform, IP utilization and protection environment, training for skilled talents are the necessary of steps of building China into a power manufacturing country. “Premier Li Keqiang said that the entrepreneurship and innovation should facilitate manufacturing development. ”

    As an important pillar of China’s national economic development, the manufacturing industry is making transition to intelligent manufacturing. The 3D printing industry should overcome such problems as low capability of innovation and under-utilization of IP information.  (by Wang Yu/Sun Di,China Intellectual Property News)