Consumer-Level Dimensional Reduction in Hardcore Industries

In Linus’s book “Just for Fun,” he mentions that people go through three stages in doing things: survival, social status, and finally, entertainment.

In Shenzhen, there are companies that excel at transforming industrial-grade hardcore products into consumer-grade ones, turning creation and manufacturing into a form of entertainment in everyday life. The most well-known is DJI, which transformed drones from high-barrier professional equipment costing hundreds of thousands into smart flying cameras priced at a few thousand. Another rising star is Bambu, which turned 3D printing from high-end equipment costing tens of thousands and requiring deep calibration into high-speed, multi-color printers that are ready to use out of the box for just a couple of thousand. Recently, I also came across Xmachine, which transformed five-axis CNC from million-dollar heavy-duty factory processing centers into precision subtractive manufacturing workshops that can be placed on a desktop for thirty to fifty thousand.

Early Products

Drones, 3D printing, and CNC were initially used in industrial and defense scenarios:

Early Drones: The modern concept of drones was born on the battlefields of World War I in 1917. The UK developed the “Aerial Target,” while the US secretly developed the “Kettering Bug”—an “aerial torpedo” made of wood and cardboard. In 1935, the UK’s Royal Navy developed the recoverable “Queen Bee,” and in its honor, this radio-controlled aircraft was officially named “Drone,” marking the beginning of the drone era.

Early 3D Printing: Originated in the early 1980s in laboratories. In 1984, American Chuck Hull invented Stereolithography (SLA) and obtained a patent. This technology was initially not for making toys but for allowing automotive and aerospace engineers to obtain complex plastic prototypes in days instead of months. Subsequently, the founder of Stratasys developed FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology, initially used to create functional test parts for the US military and NASA in extreme environments.

Early CNC (Numerical Control): Originated in the late 1940s during the early Cold War. The US Air Force found that traditional machine tools couldn’t process the complex geometric curves of helicopter rotors. John T. Parsons proposed using punched cards to control machines. In 1952, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), funded by the US military, developed the world’s first digitally controlled machine tool (NC), which laid the foundation for modern precision industry.

Market Distribution

If we divide the current market into three layers—industrial, professional, and consumer—the primary market for these products remains industrial. The consumer market is very small compared to smartphones (about $640 billion), laptops (about$150 billion), and headphones (about $85 billion), which means it can almost only accommodate the top 1-2 brands.

Industry Field	Market Layer	Market Size (Estimated)	Unit Price (Range)	Leading Companies / Core Brands	Industry Characteristics and Competitive Moat
3D Printing	Consumer	About $6 billion	$200 -$1,500	Bambu, Creality	Rapid Growth: AI modeling lowers the threshold, transitioning from “geek toys” to “home appliances.”
	Professional	About $8 billion	$3,000 -$15,000	Raise3D, Formlabs	Design-Driven: Essential for R&D labs, used for functional part verification and tooling.
	Industrial	About $21 billion	$100,000 -$2 million+	Bright Laser Technologies, EOS, Stratasys	High Performance: Aerospace engines, medical implants. Core barriers are material science and industry certification.
Drones	Consumer	About $11 billion	$300 -$2,500	DJI, HoverAir	Stock Competition: Driven by social imaging needs. DJI is highly monopolistic, synonymous with the brand.
	Professional	About $25 billion	$5,000 -$35,000	DJI Enterprise, XAG	Productivity: Pesticide spraying, power inspection. Moat is “hardware-software integrated” industry solutions.
	Industrial	$50 billion+	$100,000 -$10 million+	Northrop Grumman, EHang	National Security: Integrated reconnaissance and strike drones, eVTOL (passenger transport). Protected by policy red lines.
CNC	Consumer	About $3 billion	$300 -$1,500	Genmitsu, Carbide 3D	Geek Niche: Noise and dust limit home adoption, mainly for DIY in studios.
	Professional	About $40 billion	$10,000 -$60,000	Haas, Tormach	Manufacturing Cornerstone: Core equipment for small and medium processing plants. Pursues extreme ROI.
	Industrial	$80 billion+	$150,000 -$3 million+	Fanuc, DMG MORI	National Heavy Equipment: The foundation of high-tech manufacturing. Five-axis linkage technology is a focus of national export control.

Similar Products

Besides these three categories, many other types of products have also transitioned from hardcore industrial/military to civilian use, such as:

Exoskeletons:

• Early: Designed to enhance soldiers’ load-bearing capacity (e.g., the US HULC program) or for rehabilitation training of severely paralyzed patients (e.g., medical-grade mechanical braces), these devices weighed dozens of kilograms and required external power sources.
• Now: They have become outdoor hiking assistants and aging mobility aids. With lightweight carbon fiber and AI gait algorithms, today’s civilian exoskeletons weigh only a few kilograms and can help offset the feeling of carrying 30kg.
• Representative Brands: Hypershell, RoboCT, German Bionic.

Robotic Arms:

• Early: These were massive welding/handling beasts on automotive production lines (e.g., Unimate) or precision mechanical claws used in space stations to capture satellites.
• Now: They have become desktop productivity tools and STEAM education aids. They can automatically shoot videos, sort parts, and even write and draw like calligraphers.
• Representative Brands: DOBOT, Elephant Robotics, Unitree.

Thermal Imaging:

• Early: Used in tank night battles, missile infrared guidance, or national power grid inspections, a single camera could cost hundreds of thousands.
• Now: They have become smartphone attachments and outdoor adventure gear. Ordinary users use them to check for underfloor heating leaks at home, protect against wildlife while camping, or take photos in complete darkness.
• Representative Brands: InfiRay, Seek Thermal, Teledyne FLIR.