RE:3D printing, Look out China? well ok, i have read about a new dental company pdt (or ptd) that does 3d printing for braces, fixtures etc using plastics and being the only one that has the tech--that is an oversell. Look, anyone and their dog is going to jump all over this and China can do everything so we should be afraid of this? Are you kidding me? The west and China do business hand and hand--cheaper production West has the Chinese manufacture to sell our products home--just look what Apple and the likes are doing--is Apple hurting because of China's manufacturing--no actually it's win, win, win (i suppose) win for the Chinese they have people employed, win for Apple they manufacture cheap and make a huge markup on their products, and win for us at retail given if the products where manufactured here we would be paying higher prices--as for the job front well that is all transformative and depends on how we view things as there are still Apple stores here, distribution channels here, sales people here, maintenance etc. Sure 100% jobs aren't here but that is the way things go.
Now in regards to the printing--does China at the present time have what we are supplying? Very few people who are big are working on the powders. People in 3d printing are mostly by the looks looking at the modulars and moldings to cut cost but they are not too many supplying the material in which the molds are being composed of--that's what this company is doing. And since i last checked we are actually killing it in the market--this is not to say the Chinese won't get into this business but we are quite advanced and there is always competition who cares nothing to quake in our boots about or you may as well not do anything because China can do anything and everything cheaper--not quite true--while the Chinese are really good they are not God nobody is and there is a co-dependency and our products i am sure will find its way to China and there will be a mutual benefit to everyone involved
I am not the least bit concerned on what you are raising here--everything has to be taken in a very pragmatic perspective not oh no the Chinese will eat everyone alive--they too need people to provide to them as well as the world markets and i see nothing better than people working together!
good luck all.