In August of 2013，the author of this book Li Xuhong, along with the China Youth Delegation, participated in the“Training Program for Young Leaders'Innovation＆Development in Public Management”co-sponsored by the International Youth Exchange Center and Boston University. He earnestly studied the effective innovation mechanism in the U.S.and came to know a lot of new cases, fresh thinking, innovative approaches and different experiences through visiting the America's most famous 3D systems company located in the Boston suburb and communicating with the enterprise managers and Boston University professors.Mr.Li was deeply impressed by this great and imaginative 3D printing technology and its rapid development.After returning home, through systematically collecting and analyzing the domestic and international data and literature, he had gradually acquired the knowledge about technical features of 3D printing, the status quo and its internal and external state of development.Besides, he had built an interdisciplinary research team mainly consisted of post-doctors and doctors from China's top universities, launching a professional research team on 3D printing technology and its related areas such as industrial prospect strategic impact andpolicy setting.With more than six-month efforts, the research team accomplished this book, entitled"3D Printing：the Engine of the Third Industrial Revolution"（name to-be-confrmed）.
On June 3，2014，Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, pointed out in a keynote speech at the 2014 International Conference of Engineering＆Technology，"Innovation of science and technology can generate an industry, imposing a great influence upon and even changing the world."3D printing technology, formally known as“additive manufacturing”，is the very innovation driven by commercial development. The＆nbsp；innovation in 3D has witnessed an increasing development.Such innovation is now widely applied in the domains such as jewelry, footwear, industrial design, architecture, engineering and construction（AEC），automobile, aerospace, dental and medical industry, education, geographic information system, civil engineering and military affairs.According to the estimation made by the U.S.Department of Energy, the mode of additive manufacturing will save over 50%of energy than the existing mode of cutting-material manufacturing which relies on employing machine tools, accordingly replacing the existing mode and profoundly infuencing the future of the manufacturing sector as a new economic engine.So far, America and Europe are taking the lead in the development and application of 3D printing technology.As for China, researches on the 3D printing technology should be given the deserved attention and carried out immediately as a national strategy.We believe that, with the advent of the third industrial revolution, the 3D printing technology has the potential to be the engine of the coming industrial revolution.
The Chinese society has raised an increasing interest in the 3D printing, with some people beginning to invest in it and scholars paying close attention to it. However, the current domestic and overseas literatures are generally about the introduction and analysis of the 3D printing technology, lacking in research on its industrial application, the national strategy, industrial policy and relevant laws and regulations.China, however, remains in the initial stage of introducing and experiencing a new technology, without analysis of its industrial prospect and its impact on different enterprises, manufacturing sector, consumer market, logistic system and exportation, letting alone conducting research from the perspective of national strategy, industrial policy and legal matters.
What does 3D printing technology and industry mean to the individuals？Will it change people's life？What impacts does it have upon China？Will it be a destructive strike to domestic manufacturing sector？Won't the development of 3D printing＆nbsp；technology in Europe and the U. S.lead to a multinational companies'return, which will signifcantly reduce the import of manufacturing products from China？Shouldn't the 3D printing technology be regarded as a national development strategy？Will it offer opportunities or pose challenges to Chinese enterprises（especially science and technology enterprises）and the local governments？What preparations should be made for Chinese central government, enterprises and local governments？What is the foundation for domestic development of the 3D printing industry？What achievements have been made？In the future 3D printing industry system, what roles will China play and what position shall we try to take？What is the industrial advantage owned by us？What policies are needed to support development of the 3D printing industry, and what legal matters should be resolved？
The series of questions mentioned above will be discussed in this book which may be the first works on the 3D printing technology to the global extend, attributed by some idealistic, thoughtful, intelligent and brave young experts from the world's second largest economy—China.
The authors of this book make their respective contributions as the following. Li Xuhong and Zhang Yongsheng are responsible for the theme planning, program design, general compilation and preface；Yu Zhuang, Yan Lili, Xiao Xun and Zhang Dan for the frst chapter；Zhang Jianlun, Dang Ruina and Liu Hong for the second chapter；Zhang Yongsheng, Li Jinheng, Xu Qian and Zhang Wei for the third chapter；Li Xuhong, Chen Yantai, Zhang Dan, Zhu Jing and Liu Jiangtao for the fourth chapter, and Tian Huimin, Liu Jiang, Deng Xiaoou, He Rui and Zhai Jiguang for the ffth chapter.
China is entering a critical period of economic growth-mode transforming. We have fnished our research with a sense of duty and enthusiasm, expecting to play a role in national and industrial development, provide reference for people from all works of life and contribute to technology advancement and the well-being of the whole world.
The writing group members
The group leaders：
Li Xuhong（Ministry of Finance, Guanghua School of Management, Peking University）
Zhang Yongsheng（Guanghua School of Management, Peking University）
Members（in the alphabetical order）：
Chen Yantai（Zhejiang University of Technology）
Dang Ruina（School of Mechanical Engineering of Tsinghua University）
Deng Xiaoou（EMBA of China Europe International Business School, Ji'nan deca Machine Co.，Ltd.）
Fu Shuaixiong（Guanghua School of Management, Peking University）
He Rui（Ji'nan Deca Machine Co.，Ltd.）
Li Jinheng（National Patent Offce）
Liu Jiang（Beijing Wuzi University）
Liu Hong（Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow）
Liu Jiangtao（Guanghua School of Management, Peking University）
Tian Huimin（China Development Bank）
Xiao Xun（College of Agriculture and Rural Development of Renmin University of China）
Xu Qian（Guanghua School of Management of Peking University）
Yan Lili（Guanghua School of Management of Peking University）
Yu Zhuang（China Development Bank）
Zhai Jiguang（College of Civil Law and Commercial Law of China University of Political Science and Law）
Zhang Dan（College of Agriculture and Rural Development of Renmin University of China）
Zhang Jianlun（Ministry of Industry and Information Technology）
Zhang Wei（Chief Correspondent of United Nations Bureau, Economic Daily）
Zhu Jing（Economic Daily）