Dispensing technology originated from manual operation in the 1960s. In the early 1980s, with the rise of industrial automation, automatic dispensing machines emerged. Automatic dispensing machines have undergone technological evolution from mechanical control to digital and intelligent control. From the 1990s to the early 21st century, with the development of China's manufacturing industry, professional dispensing machine manufacturers entered the market, and domestically produced dispensing machines began to emerge and develop rapidly.
The domestic dispensing machine industry has experienced stages of development: import monopoly, domestic rise, and gradual breakthroughs. In 2022, the global dispensing equipment market size was approximately US$9.03 billion. Sales of automatic dispensing machines in China grew rapidly from 3,074 units in 2013 to 42,207 units in 2017, with a compound annual growth rate of 92.49%. The number of domestic dispensing machine manufacturers exceeds 200.
In 2020, Gaokai Technology acquired and obtained the invention patent for "A piezoelectric ceramic jet valve drive power supply for automatic dispensing machines," which is applied to its piezoelectric jet valve products. Between 2025 and 2026, several companies obtained patents related to new dispensing equipment, including Bazhong Tianren Tempered Glass's "Automatic Glue Coating Machine for Easy Internal Disassembly" (CN224025485U), Jining Shengyuan Paper Products' "Glue Coating Machine for Paper Packaging Box Production" (CN223989807U), Zhenjiang Xiangjie Electronics' "Automatic Glue Applying Machine for T5 Lamp Holders" (CN224010265U), and Lingtai New Energy's "Automatic Glue Applying Machine for Solar Module Hooks," etc.
In the future, dispensing machines will develop towards intelligentization (AI and machine learning to optimize parameters), improved accuracy (precision sensors and control), faster and more efficient operation (high-speed actuators), and environmental protection and energy conservation.
