Acquired by a Fortune 500 Chinese Enterprise, Fenghua Zhuoli Accelerates 3D Printing Technology Across Multiple Fields, with Annual Revenue Surpassing 200 Million CNY.

PanDen 2024-8-15 22:26 Business

Panda3dp.com Guide: In 1994, a pioneering team led by Professor Yan Yongnian from Tsinghua University introduced the concept of moldless manufacturing in China. Fast forward to 2004, and this innovati ...

Panda3dp.com Guide: In 1994, a pioneering team led by Professor Yan Yongnian from Tsinghua University introduced the concept of moldless manufacturing in China. Fast forward to 2004, and this innovative team established Foshan Fenghua Automated Forming Equipment Co., Ltd.(佛山峰华自动成形装备有限公司) in Guangdong. In 2006, Fenghua launched its first industrial-grade sand 3D printer, the PCM1200. By 2011, Professor Yan, as a co-founder, restructured the company into Foshan Fenghua Zhuoli Manufacturing Technology Co., Ltd.(佛山峰华卓立制造技术有限公司), marking a new era of rapid development for 3D printing technology in China. This restructuring laid the foundation for the industrial application of sand-based 3D printing in the country. Over the span of three decades, Fenghua Zhuoli(峰华卓立) has weathered numerous challenges to emerge as a leading enterprise in China's 3D printing sector, boasting an annual revenue that exceeded 200 million CNY in 2023.

△ Originating in 1994, the independently developed 3D printing equipment is showcased at the Fenghua Zhuoli exhibition.

In August 2024, panda3dp.com observed that Fenghua Zhuoli announced its acquisition by Hunan Boshen Digital Technology Co., Ltd.(湖南博深数智科技有限公司), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hunan Boshen Group(湖南博深集团), a Fortune 500 Chinese conglomerate renowned for its financial strength. Following this acquisition, Mr. Peng Tielan, the actual controller of Boshen Digital(博深数智), will hold 30.12% of Fenghua Zhuoli's shares, with 72% voting rights, thus becoming the de facto controller of the company. With the support and resources of Boshen Group, Fenghua Zhuoli is poised to enter a new phase of accelerated growth. The acquisition report reveals that Fenghua Zhuoli's order backlog exceeded 100 million CNY in the first quarter of 2024, indicating a continued trajectory of robust revenue growth for the year.

Expanding Across Multiple Domains: From Sand, Metal, and Ceramics to Polymers and Composite Materials

From its inception, Fenghua Zhuoli has focused on binder jetting technology (3DP) and its applications. After more than two decades of technological refinement and innovation, the company has developed a diverse range of 3DP equipment capable of processing materials such as sand, metal, ceramics, polymers, and composites. These devices can form objects ranging in size from 300mm to 3000mm, with the capacity to produce items exceeding 10,000mm. Fenghua Zhuoli is a market leader in China's sand-based 3D printing industry and has been recognized as a "National Specialized and New Little Giant" enterprise and a "Guangdong Provincial Manufacturing Individual Champion."

△Fenghua Zhuoli PCM series sand-based 3D printer

△Fenghua Zhuoli BJM series metal 3D printer

△Fenghua Zhuoli BJC series ceramic 3D printer

Relentless Pioneering Spirit: Thirty Years of Dedication to Sand-Based 3D Printing Technology and Applications

In April 2023, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with two other ministries, issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting High-Quality Development in the Foundry and Forging Industry," emphasizing the advancement of cutting-edge casting processes and equipment, including sand-based 3D printing. This initiative aims to drive the industry towards intelligent manufacturing and green, low-carbon transformations. As China's foundry industry continues to evolve, there is growing demand for large-scale, customized production. 3D printers capable of forming objects as large as 2500mm or more are increasingly attracting market interest. These large-format sand 3D printers are expected to find wide applications across various sectors, including wind power, automotive components, rail transportation, military, aerospace, marine, pump valves, and artistic design.

△Large size 3D printed casting sand mold and sand sculpture

According to a Fenghua Zhuoli representative, "Our equipment is highly regarded by both new and returning customers. The best proof of this is the high volume of repeat orders from existing clients. Despite the intense market competition in 2024, Fenghua Zhuoli continues to experience strong demand, particularly for our large-format models of 2500mm and above. Several of our ultra-large models have been successfully developed and are ready for market release. In the sweltering heat of Guangdong's summer, our factory workers are tirelessly working overtime to meet delivery schedules."

△ Fenghua Zhuoli large size sand 3D printer production workshop

△Fenghua Zhuoli 3D printer shipment

Moreover, in recent years, Fenghua Zhuoli has delivered over three complete sand-based 3D printing production lines for several large enterprises, rapidly advancing towards mass customization and digitalized production management.

Fenghua Zhuoli has established 3D printing service centers in South China and Sichuan, offering a comprehensive range of rapid manufacturing services, including 3D printed sand molds, non-ferrous and ferrous metal casting, precision machining, and quality inspection, along with turnkey solutions.

Compared to traditional sand casting, 3D-printed sand molds eliminate the need for master molds, reducing lead times from two months to two weeks. This process also handles complex geometries with ease, offers a more worker-friendly environment, and achieves a high degree of automation.

For instance, an aviation engine casing, measuring 343×337×480mm, can be produced using 3D-printed sand molds in just three hours, with an additional three hours for casting and eight hours for post-processing, resulting in exceptionally high production efficiency.

Innovative Ceramic 3DP Technology

Traditionally, ceramic 3D printing relied on SLA/DLP photopolymerization techniques, where ceramic powders are mixed with photosensitive resin materials, cured using ultraviolet light, and then subjected to debinding and sintering processes. However, Fenghua Zhuoli has pioneered the use of binder jetting 3D printing technology for ceramic products, successfully developing equipment capable of printing a variety of ceramic materials, including oxides and carbides. The advantages of 3DP technology include its ability to produce large-format items with high efficiency and low cost, with certain performance metrics even surpassing those of photopolymerization techniques. This technology has gained widespread application in the photovoltaic, semiconductor, and new energy sectors.

△Oxide ceramics printed by 3DP technology

△Carbide ceramics printed by 3DP technology

The Rise of Metal 3DP Technology

As 3DP technology continues to mature, binder jetting metal 3D printing is emerging as a promising method for mass customization of metal parts. A report by SmarTech predicts that by 2030, the market for sintered metal 3D printed parts will reach $54 billion. Many renowned automotive manufacturers are adopting metal binder jetting technology for parts production, and in 2023, leading smartphone manufacturers began using 3D printing to produce titanium alloy components, marking the first large-scale application of 3D printing in the consumer electronics industry.

△Metal parts printed by Fenghua Zhuoli 3DP technology

Fenghua Zhuoli's metal 3DP technology offers a 10-50 times faster layer printing speed compared to SLM technology, does not require additional support structures during printing, and delivers mechanical properties superior to casting. With enhanced post-processing steps, its performance can even surpass that of forging. The technology supports a wide range of materials and has the potential to reduce production costs to levels comparable to or lower than traditional mass manufacturing.

Fenghua Zhuoli has introduced the second-generation upgraded BJM460 industrial-grade metal 3DP printing equipment, with a maximum forming size of 460mm×375mm×300mm (and an alternative small cylinder forming size of 160mm×125mm×80mm). This equipment has successfully produced parts made from a variety of materials, including stainless steel, tool steel, carbide, titanium alloy, and copper alloy, with superior performance compared to castings of the same materials. The technology has enabled the transition from prototype development to mass customization.

Entering the High Polymer/Composite Materials 3DP Market

According to a representative from Fenghua Zhuoli, the company is involved in the national key research and development project "High-Polymer Powder Bed Energy Absorption Induced Sintering High-Speed 3D Printing." In the future, Chinese produced 3DP high-polymer printing equipment will actively compete in the global market.

Conclusion

As 3DP technology continues to evolve, it is steadily becoming a mainstream 3D printing technology with boundless potential for future development. Panda3dp.com will continue to monitor Fenghua Zhuoli's progress.

Upcoming Fenghua Zhuoli Exhibitions:

- August 28-30, 2024, Formnext (Shenzhen) Exhibition: Hall 13, Booth C46

- March 17-19, 2025, Asia TCT (Shanghai) Exhibition: Hall 7.1, Booth 7Q05

Empowered by Capital Large Equipment Group Jingcheng Machinery Electric Company, AVIMETAL Metal 3D Printing Equipment and Materials Business Experiences Rapid Growth Changlian, Gian, and Other Billion-CNY Metal Injection Molding Giants Joined Forces on Stage to Discuss the Future Trends of Binder Jetting Metal 3D Printing.