As more applications for 3D printing emerge, the ability of businesses to reap benefits from the technology is improving, according to an executive with a Shanghai-based 3D printing firm.

"Today, if someone wants to buy something, they already have an idea of what that is," said James Yu, president of Xery 3D Printing Science Technology Inc in Shanghai. "You have a personality, and you don't want to buy from the Internet where it's all the same.

"A few years ago I started to research cloud manufacturing," Yu said. "It's my idea that cloud manufacturing and 3D printing can combine together to change the life of your business."

For example, Yu said, a client could send an idea to a platform, a designer in a different country can make something from that outline, and a company in another region can manufacture the goo and handle , all decreasing the time it takes to fabricate a 3D-printed product or design.

"The second step is: Now that they've said 'this is what I want,' you can describe what you are thinking to the Internet, and then someone maybe in Germany, or elsewhere, can say 'Oh, I can design something for you.'

"The essence of the 3D printer is exactly what can fit this business," Yu said, "but this still may not satisfy the innovative needs because getting the customer what they want is just the first step."

Yu made his comments on April 17 during a presentation at the Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. Yu spoke about the potential link-up between 3D printing and cloud manufacturing technology.

With more than 40 sponsors and exhibitors and attendees from more than 20 countries, Inside 3D Printing is New York's largest 3D printing trade show.

Sunny Webb, a senior principal at Accenture Technology Labs, said there are a large number of firms looking to make a profit with 3D printing technologies.

"Having things that can print more materials better, faster and more effectively, that's something everyone is betting on and waiting for to happen," she said during a panel discussion on the future of 3D printing.

The advancement of material science related to this technology would be great, but one of the more important effects to consider from the new trend is the relationship between suppliers and manufacturers, she said.

"There's a big disruption that occurs within OEM (original equipment manufacturer) suppliers to manufacturing points," Webb said. "There are a number of firms investing into it that are working actively on this everyday."

Patrick Dunne, the director of industrial 3D printing applications development at 3D Systems Corp, a South Carolina-based 3D printer manufacturer, said the ability to customize and conform to a consumer's interests is paramount.

"You have to look at the disruption in the industry," he said. "What's ripe for automation, what's labor-intensive: construction, concrete printing, housing, etc," he said.

After decades of development, 3D printing has emerged as a viable, affordable technology, increasingly used by both the private and public sectors. While problems remain, it could eventually revolutionize the manufacturing sector that many countries in Asia depend on for economic growth.

Jennifer Joy, a professor of 3D digital design at Griffith University in Australia, said 3D printing has already proven to be a widely useful tool in manufacturing. But the full-use value of the technology is still being determined, she said.

As a technology for new business models, 3D printing has the potential to "change business practices" for design and production firms, she said. The customization capabilities could have a big impact too, but there's an immediate need for the enthusiasm around the industry to "link up with practicality".

Yu, whose firm has manufacturing facilities in Bozhou and Hefei (Anhui province) and employs about 100 people, said China needs to improve the equipment in use for 3D printing, in addition to other gaps in the industry.

"In China, we still have differences compared to other companies in the world on 3D printing," Yu said. "We have our technology at the same level, but we should have equipment and materials on the same level with the rest of the world."

Yu said the Chinese government has been promoting the development of the 3D industry, so odds are there will be "more of this moving forward".

"No 1 right now in China, I believe we should invest money into learning about this technology," he said. "Then we'll have some more innovation."

jackfreifelder@chinadailyusa.com