1Spinning
Success
Haier Molds Co. (Haier Molds) is a subsidiary of
the Haier Group in Qingdao, the leading home
appliance brand in China. Headquartered in the
Shandong province, Haier Molds constantly
strives for innovation, aiming to improve
environmental performance and bring consumer
lifestyles into the future. Because of this, 3D
printing has become an integral part of its
business.

HaierAs the purchasing power of Chinese consumers
rapidly increases, Haier Molds is seeking ways tostand out among the fierce competition. One of
the company’s challenges is to meet the demandfor innovative design and increase efficient
production in a fast-paced market. Until recently,
Haier Molds used traditional manufacturingmethods, such as CNC, for prototyping, which
required long turnaround times and extensive
labor. Haier Molds recently switched to 3D
printing and FDM® technology to minimize time tomarket and create more advanced designs.

3D printing is transforming
our product development
cycle. 3D printed parts areproduced in just a few hours,
and enables us to modify thedesign by creating concept
models at minimal cost. The
benefits were beyond ourinitial expectations.”
Zhu Mingju
Haier Molds Co

2 2Water pulping component of a washing machine.

Spinning Success

Advancing Productivity with 3D Printing
Haier Molds has incorporated 3D printing into its
R&D in different ways, such as iterative concept
models to improve aesthetics and product design,
structural models to ensure perfect fit, and parts
that are installed in real machines for functional
tests.

Document Title HereHaier

“3D printing is transforming our productdevelopment cycle,” said Mingju Zhu, project
manager at Haier Molds. “3D printed parts areproduced in just a few hours, and 3D printing
enables us to modify the design by creating
concept models at minimal cost. The benefits werebeyond our initial expectations.”

Haier Molds 3D printed a mini washing machineand showcased it at household productexhibitions. The drum, lids, bezels and outer cases
were all 3D printed in a single build.
“The mini washing machine was the highlight ofour displays, especially when it spun like a real
washing machine. Our customers were amazedand that resulted in subsequent purchases,” saidZhu. “Without 3D printing technology, we would
have had to create many molds just for one event,which is not cost-effective. Plus, we wouldn’t havegenerated the interest level the way we did.”3 3Spinning SuccessQuality, Precision and Efficiency
Haier Molds now only needs six hours to produce
a balance ring prototype, compared with twoworking days using CNC machines.
“3D printing saved us up to 69 percent ofprototyping time. It is a great leap for us inaccelerating the product design validation
process,” said Zhu. “Moreover, the printing job
can be finished unattended overnight withoutcompromising the quality.”
Accuracy is critical to Haier Molds’ geometricallycomplex components, such as balance ringsand drain valves. With 3D printing, prototypes
are produced in a single print, eliminating themeasurement errors in programming and assemblyin CNC procedures, and ultimately enabling
accurate fit and form within a standard tolerance
for small parts.
Rapid Solutions“The crane resumed service right away, andremained in operation for three months before
the new fan blade arrived,” said Zhu. “Without
3D printing, we would have to wait for the new
fan blade from the equipment vendor, which
would have paralyzed the production and delayed
final product delivery to customers. The Fortus
900mcTM helped resolve our production crisis inseven hours.”
Haier Molds is also exploring 3D printing
applications in small-scale tailor-made moldproductions to handle clients’ urgent requests.
“3D printing has enabled us to gain a morecompetitive advantage in the household appliancesindustry. We are excited to explore the newhorizons this technology will bring in the near
future,” Zhu said.

Document Title HereHaier

A small error in the production process can cause
major delays for the whole business. But now
Haier Molds can provide quick solutions using

3D printing technologies. For example, engineers
temporarily replaced a broken fan blade in a cranewith a new 3D printed part, minimizing down timeand business losses. Engineers 3D scanned thefan blade and 3D printed a replacement in justhours.

Headquarters of Haier Molds in Qingdao.

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+972 74 745 5000 (Fax)Haierstratasys.com
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