CN/EN
CN/EN
In the global 3D printing landscape, few events rival the significance of TCT Asia. The TCT Asia 2025, held in Shanghai, showcased the industry's remarkable evolution and China's central role in driving innovation within the additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem. With record attendance, groundbreaking product launches, and clear signals of industrial adoption, TCT Asia 2025 offered a compelling glimpse into the industry's future trajectory.
For ongoing insights into the additive manufacturing industry and event updates, you can visit the official TCT Asia website or follow the TCT Group on LinkedIn. For a comprehensive overview of the event’s key highlights, industry trends, and groundbreaking innovations unveiled at TCT Asia 2025, read on.
TCT Asia 2025 showcased remarkable growth, welcoming 31,352 visitors, with international attendance increasing by an impressive 19.83% compared to the previous year. The event's international character was evident, with 31% of visitors coming from overseas, primarily from Korea, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. The exhibition featured 450 exhibitors (a 12.5% year-over-year increase) across 45,000 square meters of exhibition space.
This year's exhibition unveiled more than 90 global product launches and 180+ Asian debuts, highlighting TCT Asia's growing significance as a platform for industry innovation. The event's strategic importance was further underscored by the diverse representation across sectors, with energy, machinery, and automotive industries (21.35%), medical and dental applications (20.34%), and electronics (14.96%) leading visitor attendance.
As additive manufacturing matures, three transformative trends are shaping its evolution from a niche prototyping tool into a core pillar of modern industrial production.
One of the most evident trends at TCT Asia 2025 was the industry's decisive shift from prototyping to scalable manufacturing. This evolution represents a fundamental transformation in additive manufacturing's role within production ecosystems.
Farsoon Technologies exemplified this trend with its groundbreaking FS1521M-U metal 3D printer, capable of configuration with up to 32 × 500W fiber lasers. This system, first previewed at TCT Asia 2023, has now reached full production capability, representing a step-change in manufacturing capacity for high-volume production environments. This advancement is critical as industries move beyond one-off prototyping to embrace AM for serial manufacturing.
Metal additive manufacturing witnessed remarkable innovation at TCT Asia 2025, with several breakthrough technologies capturing industry attention.
Eplus3D demonstrated significant advancement in large-format copper 3D printing, overcoming the traditional challenges associated with copper's low absorption and high reflectivity in red laser-powered systems. This breakthrough expands the potential applications for metal AM into sectors requiring high thermal and electrical conductivity components.
Farsoon's introduction of Beam Shaping Technology represents another significant development. This technology dynamically forms laser spots into various shapes, enhancing printing quality and efficiency while delivering part densities exceeding 99.95%—a critical threshold for industrial adoption in sectors with stringent material requirements.
According to the Wohlers Report 2025, metal 3D printing systems saw a 26% decline in machine sales globally in 2024, largely due to longer machine life cycles and improved reliability. However, China's position in the metal AM market continues to strengthen, with systems offering competitive pricing and performance compared to Western counterparts.
TCT Asia 2025 highlighted the growing diversity of additive manufacturing applications across multiple industries. Exhibits demonstrated how AM is gaining traction in aerospace, medical, footwear, construction, and consumer goods sectors, with use-case-specific solutions driving adoption.
China's dominant position in tire mold production was evident, with UnionTech launching its RA900 SLA printer specifically designed for rapid tire mold production. This represents a significant vertical integration of AM technology into an established manufacturing workflow.
In the consumer sector, Anycubic showcased its Kobra S1 Combo 3D printer, recognized for affordability, stability, and material versatility—factors that continue to drive AM adoption in consumer markets.
The rise of AI-driven design tools was another notable trend, with Tripo AI drawing significant attention for its text-to-CAD AI model that generates 3D models suitable for 3D printing. This intersection of artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing promises to accelerate design iterations and expand accessibility to non-technical users.
Beyond the broader trends, TCT Asia 2025 featured several product launches that signaled the industry's deepening sophistication, material maturity, and vertical specialization. These highlights showcased how hardware, materials, and software are evolving in tandem to support a more production-centric AM ecosystem.
This collection of innovations reflects a broadening base of capabilities across the AM value chain. Rather than incremental upgrades, many of these products represent targeted responses to industry-specific challenges—from EV manufacturing to internal printer design—underscoring additive manufacturing’s transition into a core production methodology.
The conference track at TCT Asia 2025 featured over 80 sessions, with industry leaders from AVIC, Airbus, BCG, and Foxconn sharing perspectives on AM's future. Key themes included:
· Healthcare Transformation: Sessions highlighted how AM is revolutionizing medical device production, custom implants, and bioprinting, with China's medical applications accounting for over 20% of visitor interest.
· Automotive Industry Adoption: Automotive manufacturers showcased how AM is transforming production workflows, particularly in electric vehicle manufacturing where weight reduction and part consolidation offer significant advantages.
· IoT & AI Integration: Speakers emphasized how intelligent manufacturing systems are enhancing AM productivity and quality control, with data-driven approaches optimizing production parameters.
· Sustainability Initiatives: Numerous sessions addressed AM's role in reducing material waste and carbon footprints, with particular attention to recycled materials and energy-efficient processes.
The Wohlers Report 2025 provides valuable context for understanding China's position in the global AM landscape. Global 3D printing industry revenue reached $21.9 billion in 2024 (approximately 158.8 billion RMB), growing 9.1% year-over-year. China accounts for approximately one-third of this market, with revenues around 50 billion RMB.
The Asia-Pacific region experienced the most significant growth in 2024, exceeding 30%, with China leading this expansion. The country has transformed from a technology follower to an innovation leader, particularly in high-volume production, multi-material printing, and large-format systems.
Chinese manufacturers continue to gain market share in both domestic and international markets, with particularly strong positions in polymer 3D printing for applications ranging from electric vehicles to dental and footwear. The country's export growth coupled with decreased imports signals strengthening domestic capabilities and global competitiveness.
Building on the momentum of TCT Asia 2025, the next chapter of innovation continues with TCT Shenzhen 2025, taking place from September 10–12 at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. As the southern hub of China's manufacturing ecosystem, TCT Shenzhen will bring cutting-edge additive manufacturing solutions closer to the region’s thriving tech and hardware industries.
This will be followed by TCT Asia 2026, returning to Shanghai in March 2026, further cementing its role as a vital platform for industrial transformation, cross-border collaboration, and product innovation in AM.
Pre-registration for TCT Shenzhen 2025 is now open: Click here to register
TCT Asia 2025 underscored the continued evolution of additive manufacturing from prototyping to production, reflecting a more integrated and industrialized ecosystem. Key developments in AI-driven design, advanced materials, scalable production systems, and sustainable practices are shaping the next phase of the industry's growth. As the sector advances, TCT Asia remains a critical platform for insight, collaboration, and technological exchange—serving as a benchmark for innovation in the global AM community.
Stay connected with the additive manufacturing community through the official TCT Asia website for updates on TCT Shenzhen 2025 and TCT Asia 2026, or follow the latest industry developments and insights via the TCT Group LinkedIn page.
