WayKen specializes in visual design models, full-functional engineering prototypes and low-volume manufacturing of custom parts, providing a one-stop shop from prototype to production. With over 100 highly skilled employees and 35,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing premises, the company strives to supply affordable high-quality products to international markets. Romana Moares reports.
WayKen, initially incorporated in Hong Kong and now headquartered in Shenzhen, China, has become one of the most specialized manufacturers of high-end prototype and low-volume production, providing CNC Machining, 3D Printing, Vacuum Casting, Rapid Tooling, Sheet Metal Processing, while maintaining a competitive edge with innovative services and highly skilled workforce.
“WayKen has invested in three factories in China in the Guangdong provinces - the prototype factory located in Shenzhen (our main base, which is also responsible for foreign trade); metal fabricating factory located in Dongguan; and molding factory in Zhongshan,” says the company’s Marketing Director Miss Candy Chen, adding that focus on quality has always been a priority.”Our company is carrying out ISO9001 quality system certification. In the future, we will continue to apply for IATF16949 international automotive quality system certification on this basis.”
Core competence
The company has adopted the latest diamond machining technology in ultra precision manufacturing - a technique called Single Point Diamond Machining (SPDM or SPDT) that can match the ability of 5-axis micro-milling to produce a range of lens and light guide types of excellent optical quality in array or freeform pattern. However, in addition to first class machinery, Miss Chen emphasises that the biggest asset of the company is its customer base. “The number of customers has grown rapidly through the word of mouth around the world, ranging from independent inventors and designers to large scale industrial, commercial, medical, automotive and even aerospace companies.”
Miss Chen explained that a project that the company has been involved recently and that well demonstrates its capability has been the 2K lens overmolding. “Due to the high aesthetic requirements of the automobile lighting industry, the application of two-color injection molding on the car lamp has become more and more common. However, conventional prototyping methods, i.e. CNC combined with 2K painting, are still not perfect enough to meet the more critical appearance requirements.”
“Recently, our customers asked us to use the vacuum casting silicone mold to complete 20 sets of HDLP 2K outer lens and fog lens prototypes, specifying extremely demanding requirements for prototype appearance, such as a combination of two-colour different types of materials by means of vaccum casting.”
“After multiple adjustments of the molding design, we achieved some suprising breakthroughs. By optimizing material gate design, we can make materials successfully fulfill the silicone mold cavity and fully avoid the problems of vacant corners and material shortage. Also, by suitable material selection and molding temperature control, we have overcome the problems of material deformation caused by second shot casting, finally ensuring the right size of the products,” he affirms, pointing out that the project has demonstrate the company’s dedication to meet specific customer’s requirements, as well as the commitment to search for innovative solutions.
The level of success has not been achieved in isolation. “Custom fabrication and low volume production require a large amount of outsourcing resources; at the present stage of development, we are dedicated to upholding the strategy of integrating sources of excellent suppliers and building a long-term cooperation relationship with them to further improve our competiveness,” said Miss Chen
On the way up
Asked about future industry developments, he admits that 3D printing technology presents a certain challenge. “However, we believe that CNC machining and injection molding will remain highly competitive for precision machining and production of plastic and metal raw materials. In the future, we will uphold the innovation goal of high-end machining and manufacturing and customized products.”
Commenting on upcoming trends, he reflected that the company faces rising globalisation but continues to expand in the domestic, i.e. Chinese market. “We are confident that the impact of trade friction will be minimized, and believe that the threat of Sino-US trade frictions won’t fully materialise. In short, the trade friction will not last long as it would cause significant damages to both sides.”
Within the context of global economy, Chinese manufacturing companies continue to enjoy low cost competitive advantage. “WayKen will continue to maintain technological innovation, improve the level of quality management, and cater for the demands of the European market. We believe the European market offers promising potential, especially in countries with relatively advanced industrial design and manufacturing capacity, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, and Poland,” said Miss Chen.
In concluding, he confirms that WayKen will continue to develop its core competence - CNC machining and rapid injection molding - to enhance the advantages of precision CNC and low volume manufacturing. “We will also attach great importance to trial design verification and high-end machining of parts designed for the automotive and aerospace sectors as the key direction of the company’s further development.”
For more information, visit Wayken: https://www.waykenrm.com/
