eSUN × UnionTech! Flexible 3D Printing Solution Officially Released

New Ideas, New Opportunities.

In the 3D printing industry, flexible materials have long been seen as a field with great potential, yet difficult to truly implement at scale.

The application potential is indeed vast—such as shoe midsoles, robotic joints, sports protection gear, and flexible structural components—each representing high-value scenarios. However, in reality, there have been relatively few cases achieving large-scale production in recent years.

So where does the problem lie?

At TCT ASIA 2026, eSUN and UnionTech jointly introduced a “single-component + bottom-up” flexible manufacturing solution, providing a clear answer: the issue is not a single weak link, but the lack of coordination between materials and equipment.

Many who are not deeply involved in this field tend to attribute the problem simply to insufficient material performance or inadequate equipment precision.

But the reality is more complex.

Material Side: The issue is not just performance, but also usability and cost

Currently, mainstream two-component elastic resin systems require manual mixing. In real production, this not only increases operational complexity but also leads to short pot life and material waste. Once scaled to continuous production, these limitations quickly become more pronounced.

Equipment Side: Peeling Force Remains a Key Challenge

Traditional top-down DLP systems must repeatedly overcome significant peeling forces when printing elastomers. This process directly impacts structural stability, especially in thin-walled parts or complex lattice structures, where deformation and print failures are common. At the same time, complex support structures and cumbersome post-processing further increase overall costs.

The logic behind this newly released solution is not complicated. Essentially, it enables true synergy between materials and equipment.

Single-Component Materials + Bottom-Up DLP Equipment

On the material side, the core change in eSUN’s FlexOne series is the shift from two-component to single-component systems, significantly lowering the barrier to use.

No mixing is required—ready to use upon opening—while also extending usable time. In terms of performance, the materials are optimized for elongation, rebound, and fatigue resistance to better meet real-world application needs.

On the equipment side, UnionTech introduces a bottom-up DLP optical system through the Cute 380, combined with a specialized release film design to further reduce peeling force.

With additional optimization of material rheological properties, stability issues during printing are mitigated, and print success rates are significantly improved.

Application Boundaries Are Being Redefined

The FlexOne series now covers multiple hardness levels and foaming-grade elastic materials, adapting to diverse application requirements.

In terms of applications, it already spans footwear, humanoid robotics, sports protection, industrial parts, and consumer products.

Specific applications include lattice midsoles, flexible joints, biomimetic muscle structures, customized protective gear, cycling saddles, as well as flexible fixtures, wire harness protectors, sealing components, ergonomic backpack pads, and creative flexible products.

Final Thoughts

3D printing is shifting from competition in individual technologies to competition in integrated solutions.

In the past, competition focused on material performance and equipment precision; now, it depends on whether the entire process can be fully integrated and executed.

Flexible 3D printing is at this turning point.

“Let the bullet fly a little longer”—we may soon see a very different market emerge.

Reminder: TCT ASIA is currently underway. If you are interested in flexible 3D printing solutions, feel free to visit the eSUN booth (Booth 8E72) and the UnionTech booth (Booth 7F50).