Chinese Spinoff SciLong Bets $14M on Metal 3D Printing for Aerospace

A $14 million bet on metal powder

A technology subsidiary under the China SciLong umbrella has launched an aerospace-component manufacturing push, with reported capital spending near $14 million. The plan includes buying more than 100 large-scale industrial metal 3D printers, according to a July 21 report in the China Times financial newspaper. The report did not name the equipment suppliers.

Where SciLong came from

The company is based in Ningbo and was spun out of the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It builds lightweight structural components and offers technical solutions aimed at aerospace customers.

SciLong describes its model as "design-driven manufacturing." That means it gets involved early, during the concept stage, and reworks parts so they suit additive workflows instead of copying geometry built for casting or machining. Founder Zhang Hao told China Times this approach can cut product-development iteration time by 50 to 60 percent.

Why it matters

The company puts more than 60 percent of its staff into research and development, with annual R&D spend between roughly $1.5 million and $3 million. For a young firm with annual output just over $14.8 million, committing to 100-plus machines is a large leap.

It is also a risky one. Metal additive equipment is expensive, aerospace certification moves slowly, and engineers who understand both materials and structural design are scarce. SciLong is betting that getting in early, with a design-led workflow, will pay off as Chinese aerospace demand grows.

The bigger picture

SciLong is one of many signs that China is pushing hard into domestic advanced manufacturing. Metal 3D printing sits at the center of that push because it lets firms build complex aerospace parts with less material waste and shorter lead times. Whether SciLong can clear the certification and talent hurdles will decide if this expansion pays off.

For now, the move shows where the money is flowing in additive manufacturing. It is not toward hobbyist machines. It is toward industrial metal systems serving aerospace, defense, and energy.