Farms are a common sight, and 3D printing is hardly novel. But have you ever seen a '3D printing farm' where thousands of machines are gathered together, 'harvesting' finished products much like crops from a field? Inside a workshop on the first floor of Senhu Science and Technology Innovation Park in Qingshan Lake Science City, shelves are neatly arranged across two levels, with nearly 3,000 3D printers humming away without pause.

In the office, technicians complete model designs on computers, sending blueprints to the machines with a simple click. After loading materials and waiting a few hours, intricately designed objects take shape from the printers. Workers make two 'harvesting' rounds each day, removing finished items and collecting them into baskets. This orderly, batch-production scene closely resembles 'picking vegetables' on a farm, which is how the '3D printing farm' concept got its name.

The farm is the brainchild of Hangzhou Feinuoxia Technology Co., Ltd. General Manager Yang Yanan previously worked in pet supplies export trade for years, but a personal hobby led him to 3D printing a few years ago, where he quickly spotted an industry trend. 'China's 3D printing sector is in a high-growth phase, with domestic printer export volumes up 300% in recent years,' Yang says. In the past, 3D printing served mainly industrial applications with expensive equipment that small entrepreneurs could hardly afford. Now, as devices have become cheaper and more advanced, everyday consumers can access the technology, unlocking vast market potential.

In response to the booming market, Feinuoxia officially moved into Senhu Science and Technology Innovation Park in June 2025 and began production in August. Though the operation is barely a year old, its growth has been striking. 'We started with just 10 printers, scaled up to 100, and now nearly 3,000 machines are running simultaneously in the workshop, with daily shipments of 10,000 to 20,000 pieces. This year, we expect output value to hit 20 million yuan,' Yang explains.

This '3D printing farm' model stands out not only in scale but also in efficiency. Just one manager can oversee 400 machines. The entire workflow—from customer orders, requirement confirmation, model design, prototyping and testing, to production scheduling, post-processing, packaging, and delivery—operates as a closed loop. The company has also built its own materials R&D team, enabling rapid response to custom requests and giving it an edge in both delivery speed and cost.

Stepping into the sample room, visitors are greeted by a dazzling array of printed products. Yang notes that the company has developed two major product lines: one is creative toys, such as transformable, disassemblable articulated hinge dragons and dragon egg sets, with a single bestseller once landing an order exceeding one million units. The other encompasses custom engineering items, including educational teaching aids and rehabilitation devices, catering to diverse applications. 'On the order front, exports account for 70%, with products performing well in markets like the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea, and September orders are already fully booked. Next, we plan to expand aggressively into emerging Southeast Asian markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia,' he says.

When asked why the company chose Lin'an, Yang highlights that the local support policies align well with the needs of startup tech firms. Though still in its early stages, he has a clear vision and confidence for the future: 'In the second half of this year, we aim to expand our 3D printer fleet to 5,000 units; next year, we plan to integrate online and offline e-commerce and foreign trade platforms, targeting double our current production capacity.'