How is a Chinese start-up revolutionizing 3D printing from sneakers to robots?

A Chinese start-up, PollyPolymer, is making waves in the 3D printing industry by developing bionic “muscles” that bring an uncanny lifelikeness to robotics. The company, founded by Wang Wenbin, is collaborating with over 20 leading robotics companies in China to push the boundaries of what 3D printing can achieve. PollyPolymer has created joint cushioning kits for UBTech Robotics and integrated foot kits for EngineAI, in addition to the bionic muscles for Xpeng. These muscles require a unique material that combines high elasticity, excellent heat dissipation, superior wear resistance, and anti-ageing properties, with a molecular structure modified to achieve a 300% elongation rate while maintaining a skin-like texture. Based in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, PollyPolymer boasts around 10,000 sets of material formulations and has developed a proprietary 3D printing technology called “hindered asynchronous light synthesis (HALS),” which increases printing speed by up to 100 times compared to traditional methods.