China's 3D-printing firm made humanoid robot's viral catwalk possible

China’s Suzhou-based company PollyPolymer has played a pivotal role in enabling the lifelike movements of XPeng’s humanoid robot, which gained viral attention earlier this year. Founded in 2017 by materials scientist Wang Wenbin, PollyPolymer initially specialized in 3D-printed footwear components characterized by lightweight, elasticity, durability, and skin-safe materials. These qualities translated well into robotics, where flexible, skin-like structural parts are essential for creating smooth, human-like motion and protecting delicate internal mechanisms. PollyPolymer has supplied joint cushioning systems and integrated foot components to several Chinese robotics firms, including UBTech Robotics and EngineAI, helping advance the shift from rigid industrial robot designs to softer, more compliant systems suited for human environments. A key factor in PollyPolymer’s success is its proprietary high-speed photopolymerization technology called hindered asynchronous light synthesis (HALS), which enables rapid 3D printing of flexible parts without molds. This process supports fast design iteration and small-b