3D printed part polishing is an important process to enhance the surface quality of the part, it can remove the roughness of the part surface, improve the appearance of the part texture and functionality. The following are the three most commonly used polishing processes for 3D printed parts:
1. Sanding
Sandpaper sanding (Sanding), can be done by hand sanding or using specialized equipment like a belt sander. This is a cheap and effective method, and has been the most common and widely used technology for post-polishing of 3D printed parts.
Sandpaper sanding achieves polishing through reciprocating movements by hand or machinery, so it can be difficult to operate on parts that are small in size or complex in shape, which can easily lead to uneven sanding. However, sandpaper sanding is still relatively fast to deal with 3D parts, and can quickly remove the surface lines of FDM printed parts, for example, a line the size of a TV remote control can be sanded off in just 15 minutes.
It is worth noting that if the part has minimum requirements for accuracy and durability, it is important to remember to calculate in advance how much material to sand away to avoid over-sanding, making the part deformed and scrapped.
2. Abrasive jetting
Abrasive jetting is a process that utilizes a power source (usually compressed air or liquid) to spray abrasive particles onto the surface of a part at high speed. With the help of the impact of abrasive particles, micro-cutting and friction to remove the surface material of the parts, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing surface roughness and improving the finish, widely used in 3D printing, metal processing and many other fields.
Abrasive jetting technology is highly efficient, can quickly reduce the surface roughness of the workpiece, especially suitable for complex shapes of 3D printed parts. By adjusting the parameters, it can handle a wide range of materials and has a high degree of automation to ensure consistent processing quality.
Nevertheless, abrasive jetting technology has limitations. It has expensive equipment, generates dust and noise during operation, and requires professionally trained operators, as well as proper ventilation and noise reduction equipment. For extremely thin or brittle parts, improper use can lead to damage.
3. Vapor Smoothing
Vapor Smoothing is a post-processing technology that melts the surface of a part with steam from a steam tank to achieve a polished surface. Vapor Smoothing can make a part’s surface smooth and shiny in seconds and is widely used in consumer electronics, prototyping and medical applications.
Steam smoothing quickly improves the appearance of parts, reduces surface roughness, has a low impact on accuracy, can handle multiple parts at once, and is suitable for mass production, especially for products that require a good visual effect, such as consumer electronics housings and toys.
Of course, steam smoothing technology also has limitations, it has limitations on the size of the part, and the effect of printing on high heat-resistant materials is not good. The steam treatment process makes it difficult to control the dimensions accurately and can lead to small changes in size. Improper processing may cause excessive melting, deformation or even damage to the part.
In conclusion, each polishing process has its specific application scenarios and advantages, and choosing the right polishing method is crucial to the final quality of the 3D printed part. It is recommended that when choosing a polishing process, it is best to consider the material of the part, property requirements, application scenarios, etc., and choose the most suitable polishing process for the part, so that the 3D printed part can achieve a surface quality comparable to that of traditionally manufactured parts.