---
title: "XPeng IRON uses DLP 3D printed lattices for soft actuator systems and other parts"
url: https://www.voxelmatters.com/xpengs-humanoid-robot-uses-dlp-3d-printed-lattices-as-soft-actuator-system-facfox-reveals/
date: 2025-11-12
modified: 2025-11-12
lang: en
author: "Davide Sher"
description: "When XPeng unveiled its humanoid robot, IRON, the spotlight initially focused on its human-like motion. But a live-stage demonstration by CEO He Xiaopeng shifted attention to the machine’s internals—specifically, a..."
categories:
  - "Research & Education"
  - "Robotics"
tags:
  - "future"
image: https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/XPENG-IRON-3D-640x440.jpg
word_count: 532
---

# XPeng IRON uses DLP 3D printed lattices for soft actuator systems and other parts

When XPeng unveiled its humanoid robot, IRON, the spotlight initially focused on its human-like motion. But a live-stage demonstration by CEO He Xiaopeng shifted attention to the machine’s internals—specifically, a high-density photopolymer lattice system embedded in the robot’s limbs. As [FacFox, a leading Chinese 3D printing service](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/facfox/), highlighted [in a recent post](https://facfox.com/docs/kb/3d-printed-photopolymer-lattices-the-hidden-muscle-behind-xpengs-humanoid-robot), rather than conventional motors or linkages, XPeng’s robot relies on these light-cured 3D printed lattices to simulate muscle-like behavior.

![XPeng IRON humanoid robot uses DLP 3D printed lattices as soft actuator system, FacFox reveals.](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/XPENG-IRON-3D-HAND.jpg)

[MTL (More than Layers) founder](https://www.voxelmatters.directory/company/more-than-layers/), [Michael John Sweers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjsweers?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAAtpdxgBJp4CPJw9RNXUidviBZmi0mxbCmE), also pointed to the same 3D printed lattices in [a recent LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mjsweers_additivemanufacturing-3dprinting-humanoidrobot-activity-7392146852118183936-oFFJ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAADFBJkBkEq56cfEvDZQHQmbOPrJ3rHSb7w), where he goes as far as to argue that robots may be the next killer application for additive manufacturing (and we tend to agree). He argues that the "robots race" between XPeng, Tesla, Figure and others, "isn't just an AI race; it's a manufacturing race." He also points to some significant questions, such as whether AM is the only way to build these robots and whether this could be a "massive net-new market for AM."

For humanoid robots to move efficiently, they must be lightweight, which requires the creation of organic, load-bearing structures using minimal material. In addition, with R&D advancing at a rapid pace, development teams can’t afford to wait months for new molds. The ability to design, print, and test bionic components within days might be the breakthrough AM has long awaited. If successful, this could open a massive, entirely new market for AM—one that demands not just a handful of robots, but thousands, eventually scaling into millions. Such volume could transform the entire AM ecosystem, from materials and machinery to production workflows. Are we on the brink of witnessing a revolution where the humanoid robotics industry propels additive manufacturing to unprecedented heights?

## Lattice-structured muscles allow mechanical gradient control

According to FacFox, the XPeng robot is manufactured using digital light processing (DLP) additive techniques. The lattice serves as a bionic musculoskeletal structure, capable of elastic deformation, load bearing, and jointless articulation. The robot’s internal structure represents a shift toward monolithic, geometry-programmed actuation in soft robotics.

![XPeng IRON humanoid robot uses DLP 3D printed lattices as soft actuator system, FacFox reveals.](https://www.voxelmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Xpeng-iron-inner-structure.jpg)

Soft robotic actuators require mechanical gradients—soft and compliant near the surface and increasingly rigid along load-bearing paths. Traditional manufacturing methods, such as molding or lamination, introduce material interfaces and design constraints, which limit structural coherence and mechanical control.

In contrast, DLP and stereolithography (SLA) processes enable mechanical property tuning through geometric design rather than multi-material assembly. By adjusting lattice unit-cell topology, density (20–80%), and orientation, designers can produce structures with elastic moduli ranging from 0.05 to 5 MPa within a single photopolymer build. This allows a single resin to replicate both tendon-like stiffness and muscle-like elasticity.

## Additive lattices enabling production-ready robotics

The mechanical system inside XPeng IRON marks one of the first visible transitions of photopolymer elastomer printing from academic research to production-grade robotic applications. For manufacturers, these structures offer a pathway toward programmable stiffness, fatigue-resistant performance, and scalable fabrication using high-throughput projection systems.

The move toward monolithic builds also simplifies robotic assembly by reducing part count and eliminating adhesive or fastener interfaces. As material formulations mature and printer build volumes increase, lattice-based soft actuators are expected to play a central role in the development of humanoid robots, exoskeletons, and soft automation platforms.