On April 25, 2015, "2015 Metal Powder Preparation Technology Symposium" sponsored by China Steel Structure Association Powder Metallurgy Branch was held in Huairou Songxiuyuan Resort, Beijing, with more than 150 entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from 55 well-known metal powder metallurgy-related enterprises, universities and research institutes attending the meeting. The meeting was attended by more than 150 entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from 55 famous metal powder metallurgy related enterprises, universities and research organizations. Participants around the steel powder, copper-based powder, non-ferrous metal powder, refractory metal and rare metal powder, high alloy powder and its various preparation technologies and other aspects of the full discussion and exchanges, and around the metal powder "13th Five-Year Plan", combined with the production of each unit, research and development of the actual analysis of domestic and international development trends and market demand for metal powders. The conference also analyzed the development trend of metal powder at home and abroad and the market demand, and discussed the new ideas of innovation and development of metal powder industry technology in China.

　　Beijing Longyuan Automatic Forming System Co.CTO, Member of 3D Printing Professional Committee of China Powder Metallurgy Industry Technology Innovation Strategy AllianceDr. T.F. LeeHe was invited to give an expert report titled "Development Status and Trends of 3D Printing Additive Digital Manufacturing Technology" in the meeting. Dr. Li pointed out in the report that the additive manufacturing technology (3D printing) has the advantageous features such as no molding tooling, three-dimensional molding of very complex structures, enhancement of product structural optimization and value-added, substantial improvement of material utilization, reduction of research and development costs, acceleration of product entry into the market, realization of personalized and customized design and manufacturing, flexibility and "decentralized" manufacturing, and so on. Manufacturing and other advantageous features, has become a strategic need to help the national manufacturing transformation and upgrading development. Some data show that the global additive manufacturing market size of about $4.1 billion in 2014, a year-on-year increase of 35.2% over 2013, the future of this industry will continue to maintain a high rate of growth, is expected to reach more than $20 billion by 2020. At present, China's additive manufacturing market size accounts for about 8-10% of the world, and will maintain a high rate of development, has become one of the fastest growing regions of the global additive manufacturing industry.

Dr. T.F. Lee gave an expert report in the meeting

 　　Metal 3D printing is a high-end additive manufacturing technology that can directly manufacture high-performance metal functional parts in three dimensions, which is regarded as a key technology to consolidate and enhance the dominance of high-end manufacturing industry in the world's developed countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, and has been planned and laid out from the level of national science and technology development strategy. High-quality metal powder material is the prerequisite foundation for realizing high-performance product printing, and the high-speed development of metal additive manufacturing technology not only puts forward new issues to the metal powder metallurgy industry, but also brings new opportunities. Dr. Li said that at present, metal additive manufacturing equipment is monopolized by foreign high-end products, due to the existence of equipment and material suitability, thus forming a monopoly on the supply of foreign metal powder materials. Foreign brand metal powder is expensive, long supply cycle, if it involves sensitive materials, it will also be subject to foreign export restrictions. Thus, the realization of additive manufacturing metal powder localization is imperative.

　　Looking forward to the future development of metal additive manufacturing, Dr. Li said that in terms of materials and processes, it is necessary to improve the diversity of materials, develop domestically produced metal powder materials with cost advantages, strengthen the in-depth fusion of additive manufacturing technology and traditional material molding technology, and set up a large database integrating the design and preparation of powder materials, optimization of the additive manufacturing process, and optimization of the subsequent processing process, etc.; in terms of equipment systems, it will be Tend to molding space is bigger, additive manufacturing process monitoring system is more intelligent, equipment specialization, "metal additive manufacturing +" intelligent manufacturing mode, etc.; application, will tend to the direct manufacturing of functional parts, medical and health fields, automotive and aerospace fields.

　　Beijing Longyuan Automatic Molding System Co., Ltd. is a holding subsidiary of SANDY Printing Technology Co. Founded in 1994, it is a high-tech enterprise recognized by Beijing Science and Technology Commission, a high-tech enterprise in Zhongguancun and an innovative enterprise in Haidian District, and passed ISO9001 international quality system certification in 2002. Since the successful development of the first laser rapid prototyping machine in 1994, the company has devoted itself to the development of Selective Laser Powder Sintering (SLS) rapid prototyping machine, and at the same time is committed to the application of rapid prototyping processing services. As the earliest enterprise in China to develop, produce and sell industrial-grade additive digital manufacturing equipment, Longyuan has provided high-quality solution services for more than 400 customers in the fields of aerospace, national defense, automobile and motorcycle, and medical treatment. (Text/Jiayu)