The Cost of 3D Printing Translucent Parts Drops to 0.4 CNY per Gram: Zhewen 3D Printing Equipment Expands to 96 Machines

PanDen 2024-8-11 11:40 Service

Panda3dp.com Guide: With the continuous reduction in the cost of 3D printers and materials, coupled with the intensifying competition among Chinese printing service providers, the service prices for photopolymerized 3D printed resin models have steadily declined over the years. From 5 CNY per gram in 2015, the cost has plummeted to less than 0.3 CNY per gram, marking a staggering 94% decrease. This price drop has significantly facilitated the widespread adoption of 3D printing technology among new users. However, due to the higher technical barriers and complex post-processing involved in printing fully or partially translucent models, and the limited number of manufacturers in this niche, the prices for these services have remained relatively stable. Nonetheless, the competition has now extended to translucent parts.

In July 2024, an image celebrating a price reduction began circulating within the industry. Panda3dp.com learned that Zhewen 3D (浙文三维), a service provider specializing in fully and partially translucent 3D printing, announced a substantial price reduction for its translucent 3D printing services, lowering the cost to 0.4 CNY per gram—a decrease of over 30%. Remarkably, for fully translucent parts, customers are even allowed to set their own prices, a pricing mechanism rarely seen in the industry.

Is this a genuine price cut or just a marketing ploy? To gain further insight into the main factors behind this price reduction and the current market situation for translucent and semi-translucent parts, panda3dp.com interviewed Zhou Xiangping, the head of Zhewen 3D (浙文三维).

Back in 2020, panda3dp.com visited Zhewen 3D (浙文三维)'s factory in Cixi, Ningbo. At that time, the factory housed about a dozen SLA industrial 3D printers dedicated to producing fully and partially translucent parts. Given the modest demand for translucent parts in the Chinese market and the need for specialized transparent materials in the 3D printers, along with the complexity of post-processing, only one or two service providers were focusing on this niche. Other providers, when receiving orders for translucent parts, often collaborated with Zhewen 3D(浙文三维). Through its unique technology and dedication to this specialized market, Zhewen 3D gradually established a strong foothold.

The Ningbo factory of ZheWen 3D(浙文三维) taken in 2020.

According to Zhou Xiangping, "Over the past four years, Zhewen 3D has firmly dominated the translucent parts market segment and achieved rapid growth. In 2024, the company further expanded its factory, building a new translucent parts 3D printing center in Dongguan, equipped with 46 SLA industrial 3D printers. Combined with the 50 machines in our Ningbo factory, Zhewen 3D now operates a total of 96 industrial 3D printers, dedicated to producing fully and partially translucent parts, with revenue reaching tens of millions. We can flexibly adjust our production capacity based on order volume to quickly meet the printing needs of customers in East China, South China, and across the country, ensuring rapid delivery of large orders."

Zhewen 3D's newly constructed 3D printing factory for transparent parts in Dongguan

Zhou Xiangping added, "The decision to reduce the price of translucent parts is primarily to thank our customers for their long-standing support of Zhewen 3D. We also hope that by adjusting the prices, 3D printing technology can be applied in more industries and fields, allowing more people to experience the convenience brought by 3D printing."

3D printed translucent bottle

According to panda3dp.com, Zhewen 3D has accumulated a wealth of customer cases in the production of fully and partially translucent parts over the past decade. Their products are industry leaders in optical performance, mechanical strength, and surface quality, widely used in automotive, medical, electronics, and container sectors. Furthermore, Zhewen 3D is capable of quickly delivering large quantities of products to customers. Zhou Xiangping cited a case where a company needed to produce over 5,000 translucent building models for a real estate project, each with a unique design. Using traditional methods, it would have been nearly impossible to complete such a large volume of varied samples in a short time. Zhewen 3D deployed 20 3D printers and completed the order in just three days. This not only greatly improved efficiency but also significantly shortened the production cycle and enhanced the turnover speed of customer orders.

3D printed semi-translucent parts for various fields such as automotive, medical, etc.

Dongguan is one of the earliest hubs for 3D printing service providers, home to numerous manufacturing enterprises of various sizes and their upstream and downstream suppliers. These companies have a natural demand for and deeper understanding of 3D printing technology. With the completion of Zhewen 3D's printing center in Dongguan, the two production bases can now work in tandem, providing strong support for Zhewen 3D's production capacity and delivery capability. The reduction in the price of translucent 3D printing services not only helps Zhewen 3D further expand its market share and enhance its competitiveness in the industry but also offers substantial benefits and more choices to customers.

It is believed that in the future, Zhewen 3D will continue to leverage its strengths in the translucent parts sector, driving the application and development of 3D printing technology, and contributing to the advancement of China's manufacturing industry.