Over the past two weeks, I've had the privilege of diving into the Chinese metal AM market, visiting a total of 12 leading machine OEMs, part manufacturing suppliers, and aerospace users.
The dynamism of this market is truly remarkable, although increasingly challenging for Western suppliers to penetrate. While the Space, Aviation, and Defense applications are still in an earlier stage compared to the US and EU markets, the potential is vast and will be unlocked in just a few years.
The COMAC C919 presented a significant opportunity for numerous local AM innovators to integrate a variety of metal AM parts. Through the new development cycle, an unexpectedly large number of applications found their way into the aircraft.
China's tooling market stands out as a market of its own, with around 60% of the global tooling market located within mainland China. This makes it an incredibly enticing market for metal AM applications.
In the space segment, the Chinese space race has just begun, and the deployment of large-frame machines promises to facilitate incredible applications in this field.
I extend my sincere gratitude for the engaging discussions at the various companies and the invaluable support from both old and new local friends alike.
Project Engineer at Westrock Coffee Company
1moCongrats AJ