It's been announced that China has developed its first zero-gravity 3D printer.

中国已研发出首台零重力3D打印机。

The device has been specially designed for use in a space station.

With the help of in-orbit 3D printing, astronauts will be able to make their own tools and parts for experiments and maintenance in a weightless environment, which could reduce a space station's dependency on supplies from Earth.

Duan Xuanming helped develop the technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology - CIGIT.

"It has many unique functions such as the ability to upload under a variety of gravity environments, increased speed and vibration. We have made China's first true 3D printing under microgravity a reality."

Duan also noted the device was 20 percent larger than the one sent into space by the U.S. space agency NASA, on March 26.