Surface Finishing for 3D Printing

Evaluate standard surface finishes for 3D-printed parts as well as advanced, custom finishing capabilities to improve durability, surface finish, and add colour

Certifications + Compliance
ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 13485:2016 | ISO 14001:2015

3D Printing Surface Finishing and Post-Processing Techniques

We offer several surface finish and post-processing options for metal and plastic 3D-printed parts. These options can range from as-printed with only support structures removed to custom finishing for highly aesthetic parts.
Various post-processing operations can be used to:

Reduce surface roughness
Add custom colour
Increase transparency
Increase part strength

Note that finishing options will vary by material.

Get a Sample Quote

Metals

Standard

Expect roughness values of 0.004 to 0.010 Ra, depending on material and resolution. Support structures are removed and layer lines are visible. Parts get blasted to achieve a consistent overall texture.

Custom

Custom finishing for metal 3D-printed parts includes post-processing machining, heat treatments, and several brushed surface finishes in a range of grits. View a complete list of custom finishing options.

Plastics

Stereolithography (SLA)

Unfinished

Dots, or standing "nibs," remain evident on the bottom of the part from the support structure remnants. Good for when fast lead times are required or cost is a factor

Natural

Supported surfaces are sanded down to eliminate the support nibs.

Standard

Supported surfaces are sanded, and the entire part is finely blasted for a consistent look. Note that the layers are still present.

Custom

Soft-touch paint, clear part finishing, painting, masking, colour matching, decals/graphics, and texture finishes are available. View custom options

Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)

Natural (Grey)

Parts will be grey in colour and slightly rougher in texture compared to standard finish.

Standard

A bead blast removes all powder and leaves a consistent overall texture. Parts are then dyed a standard black colour.

Vapour Smoothing

Significant reduction of surface roughness from 10-25 Ra µm (as-printed) to 5-10 Ra after smoothing (exact values depending on material and orientation). Available for PA12 Black, PA11 Black and UltrasintTM TPU-01 88A Black.

Custom

Common post-processing options for MJF parts include a primer that can be applied, as well as taps and inserts. View custom options

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

Selective Laser Sintering 3D printed part

Standard

Parts are bead blasted to remove loose powder and create a smooth matte finish.

Vapour Smoothing

Significant reduction of surface roughness from 250+ μin RA 10-25 Ra (as-printed) to 5-15 Ra after smoothing (exact values depending on material and orientation). Available in PA 12 White.

Custom

Common post-processing options for SLS parts include a primer that can be applied, as well as taps and inserts. View custom options

PolyJet

Carbon DLS

Standard

Support structures are removed and sanded down to remove nibs.

Standard

Aesthetics will vary based on build orientation. Standing nibs are sanded flat.

Custom Finishing

Custom finishing options to meet your exact specifications are available.

Plastics	Clear Coat	Applied to plastic parts to create a clear, glossy finish. Ideal for lenses and other optical applications.
	Thermal Cure	Enhance mechanical properties of Ceramic-Like Advanced HighTemp (PerFORM) and PC-Like Advanced High Temp (Accura 5530).This process does make parts more brittle.
	Painting	Parts can be painted to match any RAL number. For best results, parts are typically sanded and polished before applying paint.
	Dyeing	Dyeing is a low-cost option when a material’s natural colour is not desired. Colour options include black, green, red, blue, and yellow.
	Surface Texture	Several textures to enhance parts aesthetics are possible, including applying CAD designed surfaces.
Metals	CNC Machining	Achieve smooth surface finishes, tighter tolerances, or threading with post-process machining.
	Heat Treatment	Multiple heat treatments are available to further enhance mechanical properties of metal additive parts. Certification is available upon request. Annealing Ageing
	Tumbling	Smoother surfaces can be reached, enhancing the parts aesthetics. This process can be particularly useful to get rid of sharp edges.

How to Order Parts with Custom Finishing

Step 1

In your quote configuration, select “custom” from the finish drop-down menu. From here you will be prompted to describe what type of finish you are looking for.

Step 2

By adding a request for custom finishing, this will trigger a manual review of a quote and an applications engineer will reach out to you to learn more about your part requirements and provide recommendations on a path forward.

Step 3

You will receive a link that will bring you to a final quote that includes the custom finishing required. Place your order and wait for your custom finished parts to arrive.