How UnionTech’s Ultra-Large-Format Series Overhauled Production for HSL Model

The modern manufacturing landscape is undergoing a massive transformation, driven by digital economics and evolving consumer demands. Today, success is no longer just about mass production; it is about agility, personalization, and rapid iteration. For traditional industrial model and prototyping manufacturers, this shift requires a bold reimagining of the factory floor.

Zhejiang Yuyao Haishuailing Model Co., Ltd. (HSL Model) is a prime example of an industry leader that turned market disruption into an era of unprecedented growth. Founded in 2013, HSL Model has established itself as a premier manufacturer of large-scale automotive and prototyping models. However, as customer demands evolved, their reliance on traditional subtractive manufacturing encountered major operational bottlenecks.

Xia Lixiang, CEO of Zhejiang Yuyao HSL Model Co.

The Bottleneck of Subtractive Manufacturing

For years, HSL Model relied primarily on Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. While reliable for simple geometries, CNC became a significant liability when faced with modern market pressures: the critical need for large-scale, single-piece structural molding and ultra-tight delivery deadlines.

Using traditional subtractive methods, producing large or highly complex automotive parts required multiple machining setups. Models had to be split into sections, milled across three intensive shifts, and then manually bonded, sanded, and finished. The process was painfully slow, heavily labor-intensive, and prone to accumulated dimensional inaccuracies.

“We used to run a 40-person factory working around the clock,” notes Mr. Xia Lixiang, founder of HSL Model. ” Despite the constant overtime, production speeds were low, and lead times were long. We faced endless customer expedites and were losing valuable orders simply because we couldn’t deliver fast enough.”

Realizing that a strategic breakthrough was necessary, Mr. Xia and his team began exploring industrial additive manufacturing (AM) to bypass the physical constraints of cutting material away.

The UnionTech Transformation: Slashing Labor and Scaling Speed

After evaluating several 3D printing brands, HSL Model formed a strategic partnership with UnionTech. The integration of UnionTech’s industrial Stereolithography (SLA) technology fundamentally reshaped HSL Model’s manufacturing ecosystem.

The results of migrating from subtractive to additive workflows were immediate and profound:

• Labor Efficiency: A facility that previously required over 40 workers operating in high-stress shifts now runs seamlessly with just 4 operators. Personnel labor costs dropped significantly while employee work-life balance improved.
• Turnaround Velocity: Overall delivery speeds across complex projects increased by more than 300%.
• Precision and Quality: Single-piece molding eliminated the need for manual section-splicing, guaranteeing flawless surface quality and airtight dimensional tolerances right out of the vat.

Engineering Excellence: The Machinery Behind the Volume

HSL Model’s digital workshop now operates nearly 100 UnionTech industrial systems, anchored primarily by the robust G-Series (G1400 and G1800) large-format SLA printers. These systems were engineered specifically for enterprises requiring continuous, high-volume, large-scale industrial output.

1. The UnionTech G1400: High-Speed Multi-Laser Technology

Featuring a massive build envelope of 1400×700×500 mm, the G1400 allows HSL Model to print massive single-piece automotive components or batch-produce hundreds of smaller components simultaneously.

• Dual-Laser Synchronization: Unlike conventional single-laser printers, the G1400 utilizes dual galvanometers running on advanced synchronization algorithms. By controlling two lasers simultaneously over a shared build area, print throughput is effectively doubled.

UnionTech Large-Size 3D Printer RSPro1400 Dual Laser Synchronous Operation

• Automated Calibration: Precision is maintained through built-in Position Sensitive Detectors (PSD) and magnetic displacement sensors. Driven by the recoater motor, the system calibrates itself automatically, bypassing the alignment challenges of large-area build plates and securing reliable part accuracy.

Principle of auto-calibration of RSPro1400, a large-size 3D printer from UnionTech

2. The UnionTech G1800: Maximum Format and Material Optimization

The G1800 pushes the envelope further with a 1800×900×600 mm capacity, eliminating assembly compromises entirely for oversized industrial molds.

• Carbon Fiber Recoater Blade: Utilizing a proprietary carbon fiber blade that moves vertically rather than horizontally, the recoater’s travel distance is significantly shortened, slashing cycle times per layer.

Carbon Fibre Coating Squeegee independently developed by UnionTech

• Cross-Scanning Splicing Algorithms: To guarantee strength across multi-laser overlap zones, UnionTech developed a premier seamless splicing algorithm. This “cross-stitching” technique ensures that the mechanical properties at the boundary zones achieve over 90% of the strength found in single-galvanometer solid zones.

UnionTech’s Large Format 3D Printer – RSPro1400

UnionTech’s Large Format 3D Printer – RSPro1800

3. Diverse Material Compatibility

UnionTech’s open, highly stable parameter architecture enables HSL Model to run advanced engineering resins. This includes high-toughness materials designed for functional validation and impact testing, as well as high-temperature resins capable of withstanding up to 260°C for demanding under-the-hood automotive applications.

Hai Shuai Ling High Toughness Material Models

Hai Shuai Ling High Temperature Resistant Material Models

• The Power of Commitment: Beyond technical specifications, UnionTech’s rapid response framework solidifies the partnership. During a critical project crunch, a UnionTech service engineer worked on-site for 48 hours straight to commission a new G1400 unit. “That level of ‘mission-critical’ dedication earned our complete trust,” says Mr. Xia.

Large-sized equipment for printing prototypes

Large-sized equipment for printing prototypes

Large-sized equipment for printing prototypes

Embracing the C2B Market Shift and the “Lights-Out” Vision

The partnership between HSL Model and UnionTech represents more than a hardware upgrade. It reflects a deep structural alignment with the modern economy.

Over the last decade, the B2B landscape has flipped from a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) push model to an agile, Consumer-to-Business (C2B) pull model. Modern industrial clients no longer demand fixed, long-cycle production runs; instead, they require highly customized, small-batch orders with rapid turnaround times. UnionTech’s large-format, multi-laser systems give HSL Model the exact flexibility needed to accept these high-margin, hyper-customized projects without altering toolpaths or halting assembly lines.

Looking ahead, HSL Model is actively laying the groundwork for a completely automated “Lights-Out Factory”. A few years ago, their facility had to be brightly lit 24/7, with laborers monitoring every movement of the CNC spindles. Today, even when the facility lights go out at the end of the day, dozens of UnionTech SLA systems continue to run silently and autonomously through the night.

With an additional 40 industrial UnionTech 3D printers currently on schedule for delivery, HSL Model is on track to achieve a fully automated, intelligent manufacturing ecosystem, proving that when expertise meets shared vision, the future of industrial production is limitless.