To save commuting time, 81‑year‑old Academician Lu Bingheng has moved into the room next to his office.
Every morning, his wife reminds him to take his medication – he already has five stents in his heart. Yet as the founding figure of additive manufacturing in China, his workload has not eased; he spends over 100 days a year on business trips.
The day before our interview, he had just flown back to Xi’an from Sichuan. He told us that his current top priority is “3D‑printing large passenger aircraft.” This is not only a response to national strategic needs, but could also spur an annual market worth several hundred billion yuan – equivalent to tens of billions of US dollars (based on the current exchange rate of about 7.2 CNY/USD).
As the first to propose this technical route, Lu revealed that preliminary feasibility studies are complete and the design of large‑scale additive manufacturing equipment has begun. He aims to spend four to five years tackling dedicated equipment development, process research, and airworthiness certification, eventually achieving industrial‑scale production.
Although the C919 has received its type certificate and entered production, there remains a gap between the over‑1,000 orders on hand and actual delivery capacity. Lu believes that forging a new path through additive manufacturing is significant – and it is a world first. The advantages are clear: substantial savings in raw materials, and the inherent flexibility of additive manufacturing allows rapid adaptation to different aircraft models without overhauling production lines. It also enables integrated forming of large structural components, greatly simplifying the complex supply chain.
The plan unfolds in three steps: first, combine multiple process advantages to find the optimal solution; second, systematically develop matching forming processes to ensure consistent quality; and finally – the most critical step – push the entire technology system through airworthiness certification.
When asked about scepticism, he takes it in stride: “New things should allow for different opinions – it only helps us do a better job.”
One of his students, who has followed him for over a decade, describes Lu as a man of integrity. Though he also holds a business role, he always focuses on major national needs, never swayed by short‑term gains. He has turned his research centre into a “Whampoa Military Academy” for additive manufacturing, sharing everything openly with visitors and enquirers alike.
Today, his trainees are spread across aerospace, equipment manufacturing, and medical fields, many becoming key figures in academia, research institutes, and industry. To bring his vision to reality sooner, this octogenarian works harder than ever – handling promotion, partnerships, and technical details personally. “This is something new,” he says. “I have to be on the front line.”
