On August 17, 2026, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced at a State Council Information Office press conference that China's 3D printing equipment output grew 52.3% year-on-year in the first seven months of the year, with July alone surging 65.7%—22.1 percentage points faster than April's 43.6%. In H1, 3D printer exports reached 3.61 million units, up 90% year-on-year (Jan–Apr cumulative exports: 2.46 million units worth RMB 6.106 billion, up 100.3% and 110.4%, respectively). During the same period, equipment manufacturing value-added output rose 9.7%, while high-tech manufacturing grew 13.8%; new growth drivers contributed 50.9% to industrial output growth above designated scale, crossing the halfway mark for the first time. Shenzhen's H1 3D printing equipment output grew 58.1%, with export value of RMB 8.27 billion, accounting for 86% of the national total for like products. Beijing Normal University professor Wan Zhe attributed the growth to four key drivers: policy support (inclusion in the '15th Five-Year Plan' consumption expansion initiative), AI technologies significantly lowering usage barriers, accelerated adoption of industrial applications in aerospace, healthcare, robotics, and other sectors, and surging equipment exports. The sustained double-digit growth and continuous acceleration in 3D printing equipment output signal that additive manufacturing is transitioning from an optional process to essential equipment. China's 3D printing market reached RMB 70 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed RMB 86.2 billion in 2026. Value for powder buyers: ① Rising equipment installations and output directly drive demand for titanium alloy, superalloy, and aluminum alloy powders, with a growing share of industrial-grade applications boosting shipments of high-performance powders; ② Exported equipment installed overseas implies parallel growth in overseas powder consumption—watch for consumables bundling opportunities tied to equipment exports; ③ With consumer-grade and industrial-grade demand diverging, procurement strategies should focus on high-value industrial segments such as aerospace, healthcare, and robotics.