Your 3D printed part isn’t done when the 3D printer finishes its work. Post-processing is an integral part of the additive manufacturing workflow, involving everything from removing supports necessary for the 3D printer to produce new geometries to making the completed print to look its best. But what options do you have for the best finish?

Shapeways offers different types of finishes to turn your 3D printed part into a final product. These include dyeing, polishing, and vapor smoothing. Each of these finishing techniques can offer a different look and feel — so let’s check out some of the best applications for these options.

Dyeing

Most industrial 3D printing plastics are available in these basic colors: white, grey, black. While these color choices may not be the most exuberant, they help ensure the best performance in a 3D printer — and offer some great options to add color just how you want it.

Dyeing adds color to the original color. Nylon 12 (also known as Versatile Plastic, PA12, Polyamide, or PA 2200) is one of the most popular materials offered at Shapeways. Produced using a PA12 powder on an SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) 3D printer, Nylon 12 is naturally white. Dyeing, though, expands that offering, and we take white to the rainbow with a beautiful variety of colors possible for your plastic print: Black, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple.

Because the dye is added to the original white finished part, this method is not recommended for things that will need to endure constant surface wear. Regular handling will wear through the dye, fading the vibrant color added. A few layers of transparent varnish, though, can protect the color and help it last longer.

Some of the most popular applications for Nylon 12 are prototypes,mechanical parts, casings, prosthetics, jigs and fixtures, art, and home décor. For any of these uses, adding color will help differentiate your parts or make your design pop. Especially when it comes to prototypes and art, where the look really matters, dyeing to get the perfect color will add that eye-catching element to suit.

Polishing

There’s a reason “polished” usually means good-looking. 3D printing can produce a grainy feel, or a part might end up with a layered look from that layer-by-layer production. When smoothness matters, polishing is a great option for both plastic and metal parts.

On the plastic side, Nylon 12 (Versatile Plastic) is available with a Natural finish that is quite rough, with a powder residue on the surface. That might suit when you’re making an early prototype or a functional part. Premium finishing, though, creates a smooth, suede-like surface with an eggshell sheen. A multi-step tumbling, polishing, and dyeing process creates a consistent color and surface finish that takes away any graininess or layered look. A Premium finished Nylon 12 part will meet the quality expectations of high-end consumers, enabling you to offer unique, customized products with a finished look and feel.

On the metal side, Brass, Bronze, and Silver parts are made with high-resolution 3D printed molds in a lost wax casting process. Popular for creating unique jewelry designs and other fine aesthetic pieces, finishing here is really a choice that comes down to how you want it to look and feel. Rugged and rustic? A Natural finish will suit. Elegant and refined? Think Polished. Finishes available for Sterling Silver, for example, include:

  • Natural: Light polishing to achieve a matte, somewhat rough surface
  • Polished: Hand-polished to achieve a smooth, shiny surface
  • Fine Detail Polished: Extensive polishing will reach intricate details, achieving a very shiny surface. Extra polishing will remove more material so some details may get lost from polishing.
  • Antique: Recessed details blackened to achieve a steampunk look

Vapor Smoothing

One of the newer finishing options is Vapor Smoothing.

Standard MJF PA12 parts off a Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printer are matte and porous. MJF PA12 is itself a grey material, and can be dyed Black or finished to Black Smooth, which is dyed black with a smooth and slightly glossy surface finish. Those Black Smooth parts can be finessed even further, using Additive Manufacturing Technologies’ physio-chemical vapor smoothing. This finishing process smoothes even internal cavities, creating an entirely smooth, semi-shiny, watertight part. Unlike polishing, AMT’s PostPro3D technology removes very little material while smoothing, maintaining each part’s structural integrity. In short, geometric complexity doesn’t have to be sacrificed for a professional finish — there’s no more than 0.4% dimensional change.

With such precision, MJF Black Smooth PA12 is a perfect option for working prototypes, display models, external functional parts, and consumer products.

The Perfect Look And Feel

To get the perfect look and feel for your part, check out these 75+ material options offered by Shapeways. Each material notes the available finishing options to ensure that your aesthetic parts look good and your functional parts perform how you need them to.

Still not sure where to start? Experts at Shapeways are available to help you with advice, design, and any other resources you need to answer questions and take your next creation from an idea in your head to a finished product in your hand. Contact us today and let’s get that next idea in motion!