New research systematically compares effects of different shot peening parameters, including surface roughness, residual stress and strain profiles.
finishing
Sculpteo Introduces Sample Kits to Showcase 3D Printing and Finishing Options
Sculpteo announced the availability of āsample kitsā, something more manufacturing services should do.
Cosplay Enthusiasts Take Note: Unique Approach to FFF 3D Print Smoothing
Iām watching a fascinating video showing an unusual technique for smoothing FFF 3D prints.
3D Systems’ ProJet MJP 2500W Increases Jewelry Production Throughput
3D Systems announced a very interesting jewelry 3D printer, the ProJet MJP 2500W.
Formlabs Announces Finishing Tools Kit
Formlabs announced a set of finishing tools that could be very useful for anyone 3D printing.
Stratasys Partners With DyeMansion For Full Color AM
Stratasys and DyeMansion announced a new strategic alliance that combines capabilities to provide an end-to-end full color additive manufacturing workflow.
Another SLS And MJF Finishing Option: AMuCoat
SLS and MJF 3D printed parts have new options for finish and color.
Surface Finish in Metal Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM) can now produce high-quality parts in metal alloys.
Book of the Week: Painting and Finishing Techniques
This weekās selection is āPainting and Finishing Techniquesā by Gary Edmundson.
Book of the Week: Essential Skills for Scale Modelers
This weekās selection is āEssential Skills for Scale Modelersā by Aaron Skinner.
This Electroluminescent Paint Lights Up When You Pass A Current Through It
LumiLor is an electroluminescent paint that emits light via an electric current, just the thing for amazing 3D prints.
The Importance of Surface Finish in Additive Manufacturing
Some thoughts about the ongoing dilemma of obtaining good surface quality on production parts made using additive manufacturing.
Hirtenberger’s Automated Metal 3D Print Post Processing System
An Austrian company has developed an incredibly sophisticated end-to-end automation system for metal 3D print post processing.
Increasing Interest In Post-Processing Technologies
A post-processing supplier expands to Japan, illustrating the dramatically increasing interest in post-processing equipment for 3D printing and additive manufacturing.
Optimizing Machining and Workholding for Metal Additive Manufacturing
What is the best way to set up additive manufacturing jobs to ensure production finishing can take place?
A Look At RapidDirect’s Manufacturing Services
Rapid Direct is a growing manufacturing service based in Asia. We took a closer look at the many fabrication services they offer.
Quill Vogue’s Post-Processing Gear Covers Most 3D Printing Processes
Quill Vogue offers a comprehensive line of 3D print post-processing solutions for FDM, SLS, SLM, PolyJet and ProJet additive manufacturing processes.
Realizing 3D Printingās Potential via Automated Post-Processing Tech
As the 3D printing space continues to transform into something that fits into industrial factory settings, weāve seen materials expand, systems improve, and a trend toward automation. What has so far seemed to be the missing piece is an equal improvement in post-processing technologies.
The Amazing PULVERMEISTER
A new company, Pulvermeister GmbH, has produced a prototype of a 3D print post-processing device.
DyeMansionās Way Ahead is Smooth with VaporFuse Surfacing
The future is bright — and brightly colored — for post-processing 3D prints.
Shapeways Improves Post Processing Options, But Where Are They Going?
Shapeways announced several new post printing options, and I think this is a very interesting development.
How to Achieve a Brilliant Paint Finish on Your Prototypes
We can always depend on industrial designer Eric Strebel to put a ton of effort into every project he makes
The Temptation of Non-Foodsafe 3D Prints
There is a problem that I see unfolding everyday.
DyeMansionās Expanded Post Processing System
From their name, youād figure that DyeMansion has something to do with coloration, and youād be right.
What is āNeosandingā and Why Would You Use It?
An interesting technique used by some Ultimaker users could put a better finish on your 3D printed parts.
The Fascinating LIFTcell 3D Print Automation System
Coobx has announced a fascinating new 3D printer accessory, the LIFTcell, which provides a significant amount of automation.
3D Print Post Processing Also Includes Color
When some 3D prints are completed, they are painted; others are dyed.
Color Printing: A Useful Post-Printing Feature for 3D Print Services?
While wandering the aisles of Solidworks World earlier this week, I came upon a vendor whom Iād spoken with many times previously, and they had some equipment that gave me an idea.
PostProcessās Solutions for Post Processing 3D Prints
If thereās one dirty secret of 3D printing, itās the post-printing experience.
The Hidden Pain of Post-Processing 3D Prints
Rize3D has published a report detailing the often forgotten costs associated with 3D printing that occur AFTER the print is complete.
Design of the Week: 3D Printed Mars Replica
This weekās selection is the realistic 3D printed Mars Replica by Instructables contributor grayst.
Watch the Brute Force of Linear Friction Welding in Mind-Numbing 32x Slow Motion
Commonly used to seamlessly join dissimilar materials with different melting points, friction welding has been used to manufacture everything from airplane parts and rocket thruster tanks to even space shuttles and the razor-thin iMac.
Want to Finish Your 3D Print in Vantablack, the Worldās Darkest Material?
Monocolor 3D prints are so dull-looking; thatās why many people paint or finish them. But what if you could do so with the worldās darkest material?
Boom! Janne Kyttanenās Literally Explosive 3D Prints
3D printing is just one method of making things, and itās best exploited when combined with other techniques. But a new approach from designer Janne Kyttanen could blow you away!
Another 3D Printing Use Case: Land Models
Along with prosthetics, prototypes, jewelry and other increasingly common usage scenarios for 3D printing is one that was discovered years ago but hasnāt seem to grow as much: land models.
MODIFI3D: An Excellent Set Of 3D Print Finishing Tools
MODIFI3D is a set of excellent tools for finishing your 3D prints.
Wash And Repaint 3D Prints With BioInspiration’s Eco-Filaments
Startup BioInspiration launched their line of biodegradable 3D printer filaments on Kickstarter a while ago, but now theyāve figured out how to repaint objects printed with their materials.
Hands On With The XTC-3D Smoothing System
We got dirty with XTC-3D, a 3D print smoothing resin. The results are very shiny.
ToyZeroPlus Puts Your Head On Toys With Fuel3D
Hong Kong-based ToyZeroPlus provides amazingly high-quality 3D replicas of scanned faces.
An Easy Way to Vapor-Smooth PLA 3D Prints?
For years hobbyists have been smoothing their ABS plastic 3D prints with acetone vapor, but PLA has had no solution. A video shows a potentially useful method using PVC pipe cleaner.
Hydrographic 3D Print Painting?
Wired reports on a potential method of coloring complex 3D prints: hydrographic painting. But is it really feasible?
Electroplate Your 3D Prints with the Orbit1
Tired of plain plastic 3D prints? A new device can electroplate your prints in metal: The Orbit1.
Magic Box Almost Ready
Remember the Magic Box? The one that automatically smooths your ABS prints? Itās almost ready for shipping.
Krumm-tecās Industrial 3D Print Cleaners
Whatās a 3D print cleaner and why would I need one?
ReTouch3D Can Retouch Your Plastic Prints
A new product has launched that could make finishing 3D prints a great deal easier.
Tips on Painting a 3D Printed Model
German designer Guido Mandorf presents a very good tutorial on painting printed 3D models on i.Materialise.
Research May Lead to Low Cost 3D Metal Printing
Research on aluminum 3D printing has discovered ways to potentially lower operational costs.
Another Method to Smooth 3D Prints
Tired of endless hours of sanding your rough 3D prints? There is a better way to make your 3D prints smooth: XTC-3D.
Could Metal Plated 3D Prints Answer Your Needs?
3DDCās āMetalise Itā process could provide relatively strong parts for a lot less expense than printing in metal.
3D Printing Winged Victory
Every once in a while you bump into an incredible 3D print. We did and we wanted to make it, too. Thus began our Winged Victory Project.
How to Smooth Your PLA 3D Prints
Matthew Gorton of PrintedSolid seems to have found a way to smooth PLA prints.
Postprocess Technologies Focuses on Post Processing
Weāre looking at a company whose entire focus is post-processing equipment and services for 3D printing: Postprocess Technologies.
PrintaBit: The Artistās 3D Print Service
The world of 3D printing continues to expand and specialize: Now thereās a 3D print service dedicated to artistic works: PrintaBit.
A Spectacular Paint of 3D Model
You know how to paint your 3D prints? Just spray āem! Nope – thereās a much better way we found at Redicubricks.
Magically Finish Your 3D Prints with the MagicBox
3D printing newbies often complain about the supposedly unsightly layer lines that are often quite visible on coarsely-printed objects. Now thereās a safer way to get rid of them.
The Brilliance of Post-3D Print Finishing
Most people who own a 3D printer are content when they pull the print out and admire it. But thereās much more that can be done.
Makeraserās Smooth Launch
Finally Makeraser is available for purchase, having launched on Kickstarter this week. It’s not a 3D printer, but everyone who owns a 3D printer should certainly get one. It’s a multi-use accessory that leverages acetone’s peculiar property of dissolving ABS plastic. In the past we’ve seen various attempts to use acetone to smooth ABS… Continue reading Makeraserās Smooth Launch
Cosmo’s Patina Kit
During 3D Printshow 2013 we spent some time with Cosmo Wenman, the fellow who has captured 3D scans of numerous famous sculptures over the past year. But it’s what he does with the scans afterwards that is so much more interesting. Wenman 3D prints the sculptures on his aging yet still reliable MakerBot Replicator… Continue reading Cosmo’s Patina Kit
The Makeraser Smooths 3D Prints
A new startup offers something called “The Makeraser”. It’s a handheld tool that can smooth your unattractive visibly-layered 3D prints into beautiful smooth objects. Current technology for smoothing ABS 3D prints involves suspiciously dangerous acetone vapor chambers or massively expensive commercial smoothing devices. That, or you spend many hours with sandpaper. The Makeraser hopes… Continue reading The Makeraser Smooths 3D Prints
Watch: 3D Print Smoothing with Acetone
Bracken Dawson and James Bruton of So Make It, the Southampton Makerspace, demonstrate the acetone smoothing technique for ABS prints in a recent video. The technique is well-known, but can be tricky and is also potentially dangerous if you’re not careful. Nevertheless, the duo walk you through the acetone process, demonstrating issues such as… Continue reading Watch: 3D Print Smoothing with Acetone
Inexpensive 3D Print Smoothing with the Touch Up
A new product from startup 3D Customization hopes to simplify the difficult process of smoothing ABS 3D prints with a new smoothing device: The Touch Up. The Touch Up uses the acetone process, which we feel can be dangerous if not done properly. Acetone is a colorless, highly flammable substance. The acetone smoothing process… Continue reading Inexpensive 3D Print Smoothing with the Touch Up
Hands On With The FinishingTouch Smoothing Station
If you’re 3D printing with plastic filament, you’ll be familiar with the layered effect, where progressive extrusions accumulate into an object. The object has the correct shape, but has unsightly ridges. What to do? You can eliminate ridges with the Acetone technique, but it’s relatively dangerous, as acetone is flammable and generally not very… Continue reading Hands On With The FinishingTouch Smoothing Station
UMT Develops 3D Printing Metal Smoothing Technology
We had a brief encounter with Alexander Lobovsky, P.E., who is a partner with United Materials Technologies of New Jersey. Lobovsky’s company is developing a new method for smoothing 3D metal prints. The problem with metal 3D prints is the same as plastic: printing by layer causes visible ridges on the object. These can… Continue reading UMT Develops 3D Printing Metal Smoothing Technology
Stratasys’s Finishing Secrets
Stratasys has released a video detailing some of their secret (well, maybe not so secret) finishing processes. The video shows various tumbling media machines that operate similar to rock polishing tumblers – an object is tossed around within a bath of rough media. Gradually the objects become smooth after a relatively short period in the… Continue reading Stratasys’s Finishing Secrets
Perfectly Smooth PLA 3D Prints?
We’ve written previously about a method to create a perfectly smooth (even shiny) surface finish on your ABS plastic 3D prints, but one wonders whether the same can be done on PLA 3D prints. ABS plastic is dissolved by Acetone, so a typical approach is to (CAREFULLY AND SAFELY) dip your ABS object into… Continue reading Perfectly Smooth PLA 3D Prints?
A 3D Print Refiner
We’ve seen countless startup 3D printer companies launch crowd funding campaigns in the past year. Now we’re seeing a plethora of 3D printing accessory devices sprout from the minds of world’s entrepreneurs. Today’s 3D print accessory is the 3D Refiner. 3D Prints Express’s 3D Refiner attempts to solve one of the banes of early… Continue reading A 3D Print Refiner
Dyeing At Shapeways
While on our recent visit to Shapeways in Queen’s, NYC, we noticed vats of color dyes. Why color dyes? It’s all in the finishing. Some people expect “finished” objects to emerge from their 3D printer, but in fact they often require “finishing”, which might be simply removing excess plastic material created during printing or… Continue reading Dyeing At Shapeways
Perfectly Smooth Your 3D Prints – But Be Careful!
After the initial thrill of seeing a 3D print emerge from thin air, 3D print newbies often notice the layering effect. This is, of course, caused by the gradual deposition of plastic layers during the build process. Depending on the layer resolution selected for print, these layers could be very visible, or not. The… Continue reading Perfectly Smooth Your 3D Prints – But Be Careful!
Poor Man’s 3D Printing: Finishing
You’ve obtained or made a 3D model and printed it on a 3D print service or perhaps your own 3D printer. Now the question is, “how can I finish it at low cost?” While there are several professional commercial finishing services, they’re quite expensive and don’t fit the theme here. There are only two reasonable options: … Continue reading Poor Man’s 3D Printing: Finishing
Micro-Machining Process
Swiss-based BESTinCLASS, developers of the very cool Micro-Machining Process (MMP), have come to terms with EOS, makers of laser-sintering equipment for exclusive use of MMP in the UK. We’re a little puzzled, since we heard earlier that BESTinCLASS had awarded exclusivity to First Surface. Nevertheless, we believe this finishing process is quite interesting. The process… Continue reading Micro-Machining Process
Finish it with Metal
We ran across an interesting service that provides post-print finishing services, specifically in metal. According to their “about”: 3DDC is the first European company to set up a metal coating facility specifically for products that have been produced using rapid prototyping (RP) and rapid manufacturing (RM) technologies. The Metaliseā¢ itā¦ process was developed by AT-3D… Continue reading Finish it with Metal
First Surface
An interesting new service popped up this month: First Surface. According to their website: First Surface delivers innovative precision surface finishing services using a proprietary Micro Machining Process (MMP). Working from its own treatment labs, First Surface is poised to provide manufacturers with custom finishes to meet their specifications. And First Surface has an… Continue reading First Surface