UnionTech Launches Metal Shoe-Mold 3D Printer, Automated Jig Production Line, and Fujian Base for Footwear Applications

The 2025 Formnext Shenzhen exhibition attracted more than 20,000 professional visitors, while Panda3dp.com’s livestream drew over 34,000 viewers.

At the booth of UnionTech, a leading photopolymer 3D printing company, Deputy General Manager Wang Chao presented the firm’s latest developments in equipment, materials, and applications, signaling its transformation from an equipment provider into a full-scale industrial solutions partner.

1. New Equipment: Specialized Systems for Scaled Production

UnionTech unveiled three dedicated machines targeting high-demand verticals:

· Metal Shoe-Mold 3D Printer

o Positioning: Purpose-built for footwear molds, integrating UnionTech’s proprietary atmosphere circulation, automated powder management, and end-to-end software solutions.

o Efficiency: Capable of producing a pair of RB shoe molds in just 4–5 hours, or an EVA midsole mold in about 12 hours—empowering true batch manufacturing.

· Elastomer/Flexible Material Printer

o Adapted from UnionTech’s proven DLP systems to print household cushions, footwear products, and other flexible components aligned with current consumer trends.

· Automated Jig & Fixture Printer

o Unmanned Workflow: From data import, hollowing, and layout to printing, the process is fully automated.

o High Precision: Specialized low-shrinkage photopolymers achieve ±0.1 mm accuracy within 100 mm.

o High Throughput: Capable of producing 6–8 kg of fixtures daily, tailored for industries demanding large volumes of customized jigs.

2. New Materials: Four Special-Purpose Resins

Through its subsidiaries, UnionTech launched four new specialty materials:

· Rapid Tooling Resin: With excellent surface quality, usable directly as injection molds for small-batch production.

· Anti-Static Resin: Designed for 3C electronics fixtures and carriers, preventing electrostatic damage.

· High-Flexibility Silicone-Like Resin: Certified safe, extremely soft and tear-resistant, suitable for skin-contact applications.

· High-Temperature Resistant Series:

o 150°C grade with toughness, for motor coils.

o 220°C grade with rigidity, for fan blades and airflow testing.

o 280°C grade for extreme high-temperature environments.

3. Industrialization: Tire and Shoe-Mold Applications

Wang highlighted UnionTech’s breakthroughs in two key sectors:

· Tire Molds (Photopolymer):

o Already a supplier to multiple global tire giants, generating annual revenues of RMB 20–30 million.

o Achieves Ra < 3 µm surface finish, ±0.05 mm accuracy within 350 mm, and sharp feature reproduction.

o Current trend: Photopolymer molds remain mainstream due to cost efficiency, while direct metal printing of tire molds is the future but awaits cost reduction.

· Shoe Molds (Metal Printing):

o Demonstrated direct-printed molds with detailed patterns and lightweight lattice structures, already adopted by leading brands such as Anta.

o Fujian Base: Established a subsidiary to lower entry barriers in metal shoe-mold production. Its dual mission:

1. Standardize and disseminate production processes for clients.

2. Provide contract manufacturing and capacity-sharing at preferential rates for customers lacking equipment—accelerating adoption across the footwear sector.

4. Additional Applications

UnionTech also displayed use cases in dentistry (restorations, implants, orthodontics), carbon-fiber replication, drones, robotics, golf equipment, automotive grilles, and automation jigs (e.g., for toy manufacturers and battery factories).

UnionTech’s Formnext showcase highlighted its shift from selling generic machines to delivering complete industrialization solutions. By targeting footwear molds, tire molds, and jigs with specialized equipment, materials, and process standardization, the company is positioning itself as an industry enabler rather than a mere machine vendor. With its Fujian base nurturing shoe-mold applications and its proven success in tire molds, UnionTech is aligning closely with industry partners to accelerate the large-scale adoption of additive manufacturing.