Accelerating Innovation in High-End Manufacturing at WeNext

The speed of product iteration is a key variable in the competitiveness of modern manufacturing, and prototyping is the starting point that drives this process. Efficient and accurate prototype validation can shorten time-to-market and control R&D costs. To achieve fast, cost-effective prototyping, 3D printing service providers are working to become innovation accelerators.

WeNext, a leading Chinese 3D printing service provider in Shenzhen, recently added Formlabs Form 4 Series stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers. Form 4, and Form 4L for large-format 3D printing, are reliable 3D printers, empowering Wenext to provide prototype validation and manufacturing services for industries such as automotive, robotics, and 3C electronics.

For WeNext, which serves 200,000 customers and produces 30 million parts annually, traditional equipment struggles to meet business demands and delivery timelines. As the service industry expands, prototype standards are also moving from validation-grade to production-grade as customers demand improved material performance, finer details, and better accuracy of 3D printed parts.

Looking to deliver these requirements, WeNext added 13 Form 4 series 3D printers, as well as Formlabs materials. With the power of free PreForm print preparation software including Dashboard printer management, WeNext can efficiently deliver quality parts while expanding business to meet demand.

_{Form 4 3D printers are used to meet growing production demands at WeNext.} 

WeNext simultaneously handles multiple types of orders, meeting the demands of various industries including automotive, robotics, and consumer electronics. Parts require dimensional accuracy, structural strength, and speed — which Form 4 reliably delivers with a 98.7% print success rate. 

Form 4 achieves an average printing speed of 40 mm/h. Printing an automotive LED light strip and its base takes two hours and 49 minutes — faster than FDM 3D printers or benchmark SLA 3D printers. 

Time to print an automotive LED light strip and base

In addition to Form 4, WeNext prints on Form 4L, which has a 4.6x larger build volume than Form 4. This build volume in a compact footprint enables printing large parts in one build. For parts that would overwise need to be split into multiple builds, this large build volume eliminates the labor and time that would be required to splice the parts together after printing.

Parts are set up in PreForm, where they can be oriented and supports generated with a single click. After printing, post-processing is done with Form Wash and Form Cure, which have automated settings for Formlabs materials, for simplified workflows and consistent results.

WeNext's orders include parts for aesthetic and structural validation, functional testing, and small-batch delivery. These parts require different mechanical properties including material strength, durability, and environmental stability.

Formlabs formulates materials in tandem with software and hardware, leveraging in-house materials expertise to develop industry-leading materials optimized for printing on Formlabs 3D printers. WeNext uses resins including Flame Retardant Resin, High Temp Resin, and materials in the Tough Resin Family to produce functional prototypes and end-use parts, meeting the diverse requirements of customers across different industries.

_{This part is printed in Flame Retardant Resin, a specialty UL 94 Blue Card certified material for creating self-extinguishing and halogen-free parts.}

WeNext sees the Formlabs 3D printing ecosystem, materials, software, and workflows as a stable and scalable long-term prototyping system, one that can help generate value for WeNext’s global customers.

Ready to hone your competitive edge? Explore Formlabs 3D printers or contact a reseller to learn more.