SHANGHAI -- Shipment of 3D printers in the Chinese market is expected to reach 160,000 units in 2016, outperforming the US market, market research firm IDC said on Tuesday.

Mo Minyi, an analyst with IDC China, said despite sales' volume, China will still lag behind the United States in terms of sales revenue.

Inexpensive desktop 3D printers account for a large proportion in China while in the United States, corporate users buy more expensive high-end devices, Mo said.

Shipment of 3D printers in China is expected to more than double to 77,000 units in 2015 from 34,000 units in 2014, driven mainly by strong demand for desktop 3D printers costing less than $5,000, Mo said.

As China upgrades its manufacturing base, the demand for high-end 3D printers could surge. IDC forecast that shipment of 3D printers will exceed 440,000 in 2020 with annual growth of 43 percent in the next five years.