A Complete Solutions Provider With Local Service
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
April 1, 2022
Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2022
Page(s): p. 8
HeyGears burst onto the dental laboratory scene at trade shows just a few years ago with its revolutionary 3D printing applications and digital intelligent manufacturing technology, and the company has grown steadily since then. As solutions such as the A2D printer, HeyGears’ Cloud platform, and UltraPrint Dental materials continue to be utilized in more laboratories across the United States, those who are unfamiliar with the company may ask: Who is HeyGears?
In 2015, a group of undergraduate students from The Grangier College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign founded a company called OMNIEARS, USA to manufacture custom-fitting earphones. They quickly realized that one of the most significant challenges facing the 3D printing industry as a whole was the lack of full solutions. “In order to achieve what we wanted, we needed everything: software, hardware, material, and process,” says one of those students, Peiyuan Gui, who is now the CEO of HeyGears. “We realized we could develop a 3D printing system so our users would not need to integrate several different systems into one.”
Before long, Gui and his team recognized that the dental industry could benefit from their approach perhaps more than any other. HeyGears entered the dental market in 2018, and in early 2019 the company exhibited in Chicago during Midwinter and at the International Dental Show in Cologne, Germany. “We figured out what the dental market involved, what we could accomplish with 3D printing, and what was needed,” Gui says. “We started with a machine, and now we have uncovered almost the entire range of technologies in dentistry for 3D printing—materials, machines, software, process, and communication solutions.”
As they explored the dental market further, the HeyGears team decided that part of their complete solution should be providing customers with a local partner and exceptional support. Gui says the first employees they hired when they opened their Irvine, California, facility were support specialists, rather than sales representatives. The company was relatively new, competing against manufacturers with more name recognition, so Gui says they took a “humble” approach to ensure that HeyGears stood out from the rest. “We are an international company, but we do business in a local way, even though it sometimes costs more,” Gui says. “Our customers need local support and local inventory.” Indeed, when supply chain issues overseas were a problem for many other companies, HeyGears was able to continue supplying its customers with products.
On the support end, HeyGears has prioritized being a partner for its customers at all stages, starting from the beginning. “Our salespeople are more like consultants,” Gui says. “They visit customers’ facilities and ask questions about their needs before suggesting any purchases. They make sure to understand the customer’s needs and then customize a combination of products for them. Our customers are good at making dental appliances and operating a business, but they might not be technology experts, so we want to help them make the digital transition quickly, affordably, and efficiently.” Overseas Sales Director Lindsay Huang notes that the ability to provide a complete solution helps HeyGears provide that high level of support. “The most important thing we do is back up our customer,” Huang says, “and we are able to do that for hardware, software, and materials.”
Perhaps the most popular detail of HeyGears’ products is automation. “Our automation solution is something that most other suppliers do not offer,” Huang says. “It allows laboratories to have an entire batch of models ready in the morning without anyone managing the machines overnight.” The company’s clear aligner production solution automates an entire workflow—from data processing, to 24/7 mass production of models, to clear aligner trimming. Additionally, the HiVE module for the A2D 4K printer automates mass production of a variety of applications, including but not limited to dentures, castables, and night guards. HeyGears even offers design services. The goal is to continue to provide a complete cutting-edge solution. “HeyGears focuses on providing an easy-to-use, complete solution for dentistry digitization, such as material development, one-click pre-process software, preset printing strategy, etc, to let our customers get used to our products as quickly and easily as possible,” says Yangshuai Fan, Director of Product. “Production automation will be a key requirement for all laboratories in the near future, due to an increase in the number of digital impressions. HeyGears is a pioneer in 24/7 production. Our A2D 4K + HiVE has gained appreciation within laboratories building their automated production capabilities.”
Another important element of HeyGears’ product lines is their ongoing over-the-air upgrades. “Our printers are like Teslas: We keep upgrading both the hardware and software,” Huang says.
While the company is known for its 3D printing solutions, Gui emphasizes that they consider themselves a digital dental solutions provider. Huang notes the company’s dedication to the dental laboratory market in particular: “We care about the applications and real situations that dental laboratories face every day,” she says. “We want our customers to not be afraid to grow. We want them to accept as many cases as possible, and to know they are backed up by HeyGears.” One of the most important considerations for laboratories, of course, is putting the patient first, and HeyGears is committed to that as well. “Laboratories and practices are our customers, but the users are our patients,” Gui says. “We care most about the user experience we are providing. That is why we offer a complete ecosystem and exceptional support.”
The bottom line, Fan says, is providing high quality products. “HeyGears offers the full chain of production—materials, software, hardware, and after-sale service—to guarantee this,” Fan says. “We can hold the responsibility for delivering high quality results.”
Leadership
Peiyan Gui
CEO and Founder
Gui studied engineering at the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign. After returning to Guangzhou, China, in June 2015, he established HeyGears. In December 2019, HeyGears completed its B1 round of financing worth $60 million, setting the single highest financing record in the 3D printing industry.
Yangshuai Fan
Director of Product
Fan has a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and has more than 15 years of experience in leading software, hardware, and platform development worldwide. He has successfully launched several products to market and built a leading reputation within HeyGears.
Lindsay Huang
Director of Sales
Huang has worked in the field of CAD/CAM dentistry since 2014. She is responsible for leading HeyGears’ international sales department.
