ZCZH, a China-based industrial 3D printing company, has selected Xaar Nitrox printheads for a wax-jetting system designed to produce patterns for precision investment casting.
The system converts 3D design data into wax patterns through an additive inkjet process. The approach can reduce production cycles from days to hours while supporting micron-level accuracy and repeatability. Wax patterns influence the dimensional accuracy, surface quality and production efficiency of investment-cast components.
Digitizing wax-pattern production
ZCZH’s system replaces these tooling-dependent workflows with direct digital production. Wax is deposited through Xaar’s Nitrox printheads to build the pattern from a three-dimensional model.
At the core of the printhead architecture are Xaar’s TF Technology and Sure Flow fluid-management system. These technologies continuously recirculate material directly behind the printhead nozzles.
Xaar says this circulation helps prevent sedimentation and lowers the risk of nozzle clogging. Both are important when jetting wax materials over extended production runs. Nitrox printheads also support the deposition of higher-viscosity fluids while maintaining control over individual droplets. Stable droplet formation is intended to produce consistent wax patterns across complex geometries.
Production cycles reduced from days to hours
ZCZH combines the printhead technology with controlled temperature management to maintain the material in a suitable condition for repeatable jetting. The Ultra High Viscosity Technology further expands the range of fluids that can be deposited through the printheads.
Producing patterns directly from digital files minimizes the post-processing required before they can enter the casting workflow, according to the companies. Xaar claims this can compress production cycles from days to hours while maintaining micron-level accuracy.
The shorter workflow is intended to help foundries accelerate new-product development and first-article verification. It could also make small-batch production more practical by removing the time and cost associated with manufacturing dedicated tooling.
“Wax pattern production places very specific demands on accuracy, repeatability and production stability,” said Samual Tam, General Manager at Xaar Asia.
“This project demonstrates how industrial inkjet can be used as a reliable manufacturing process rather than a prototyping tool. By combining precise droplet control with stable, long-duration jetting, inkjet enables manufacturers to digitise complex workflows and achieve consistent results at industrial scale.”
Supporting low-volume and multi-variant casting
Design changes can be introduced at the digital-model stage. By removing mold costs, making complex, low-volume castings more economically viable. Xaar identifies aerospace, automotive, medical-device and industrial equipment manufacturers as potential users of the process.
The system is designed to produce wax patterns rather than finished metal parts. These patterns must still proceed through the remaining stages of the investment-casting process before a final component is produced.
ZCZH’s use of the Nitrox platform also extends Xaar’s printhead technology beyond its established printing and product-decoration markets. Xaar is a UK-based developer of industrial inkjet printheads and fluid-deposition technologies for commercial graphics, packaging, textiles, ceramics, advanced coatings, and additive manufacturing.
The company operates from sites in Europe and China and reports having approximately 200 patents registered or pending.
Wax jetting moves toward repeatable production
ZCZH’s system arrives as wax-based material jetting gains traction in established casting markets. According to CONTEXT data reported last year, Flashforge doubled shipments of its jewelry-focused wax-jetting systems during the fourth quarter of 2024. Material-jetting shipments in the Midrange category increased by 25% over the same period.
Equipment development is also increasingly focused on the factors that determine whether wax printing can deliver stable, repeatable production. The 3D Systems MJP 300W Plus, launched in 2025, introduced new print modes and support-removal features designed to increase throughput and reduce post-processing.
ZCZH claims deployments in aerospace and other industrial casting applications, but has not named customers or published detailed production-validation results.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, don’t forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn.
Explore the full Future of 3D Printing and Executive Survey series from 3D Printing Industry, featuring perspectives from CEOs, engineers, and industry leaders on the industrialization of additive manufacturing, 3D printing industry trends 2026, qualification, supply chains, and additive manufacturing industry analysis.
Feature image shows a row of ZCZH industrial wax-jetting 3D printers in a production facility. Photo via Xaar.
