Sandpaper sanding, as one of the most common surface treatment processes for 3D printed parts, has the following basic operations:
① Preparation:
Select the appropriate sandpaper, and determine the grain size of the sandpaper according to the desired surface roughness of the part and the material. For parts with rougher surfaces, use coarse sandpaper first, such as 80 – 120 mesh. Also, prepare a fixture to hold the part in place to ensure that the part does not move during the sanding process.
Also, prepare the necessary equipment for sanding in advance. Sandpaper sanding can be done using a hand sanding block or an electric sander. Before starting sanding, the operator must wear protective gloves and goggles to avoid hand injuries and eye injuries from sandpaper debris.
② Sanding process:
Fix the parts on the fixture, hold the sandpaper, so that the sandpaper and the surface of the parts to maintain a certain angle (generally 10 – 30 degrees). For flat parts, you can use straight-line reciprocating sanding; for curved parts, follow the contour of the surface to be sanded. For example, when sanding a 3D printed sphere part, the sandpaper should move in a circular motion around the surface of the sphere.
Note that the sanding process, the pressure applied should be appropriate, and the pressure should not be too large, so as not to cause uneven wear or damage to the surface of the part. In addition, during the sanding process, the surface of the part should be checked frequently, and when the coarse sandpaper removes most of the imperfections, replace it with finer sandpaper, such as 180 – 240 grit, to gradually improve the smoothness of the part surface.
③ Check the sanding effect:
After completing the fine sanding, the surface of the part should be carefully checked. You can touch the surface of the parts, feel whether there is still obvious roughness; you can also observe the surface of the parts in a well-lit place to see whether there are scratches or other defects. If you find that the surface quality has not yet met the requirements, you can continue to use the same grit or finer sandpaper for fine sanding, until you get a satisfactory surface effect.
④Cleaning up
After sanding, clean up the sandpaper debris on the surface of the part. You can use a brush to gently brush away the debris on the surface of the part, or use compressed air to blow away the debris. For some crevices or depressions that are difficult to clean, you can use small cleaning tools such as toothpicks or small tweezers to clean them.
Sandpaper sanding is a surface preparation technique widely used in 3D printing, crafting, home improvement, industrial manufacturing, and many other fields. Whether it is to make the surface of 3D printed parts smoother or to remove rust from metal parts, mastering the basic operation of sandpaper sanding is crucial. Only by mastering the correct methods and techniques of sandpaper sanding can we achieve the ideal sanding effect and lay a good foundation for the subsequent work of the parts (such as painting, assembly, etc.).