A finish changes three things — know which one you want
Appearance, dimension and function. Most finish requests are really about the first, but every finish that removes or adds material also moves the second, and a few change the third. Deciding which of the three you care about before asking for “a nicer surface” is how a part comes back both looking right and measuring right.
What you can choose
The instant quote prices a part with supports removed unless you choose otherwise. There, and on a quote saved in your account, you can choose one of the finishes below, and the price updates with your choice.
- As printed — the part as it left the machine, with supports still attached where it needs them. The cheapest option, and the right answer for many functional parts.
- Supports removed — supports taken off and the contact points cleaned back. Support marks remain; they are not made invisible.
- Sanded — layer lines knocked back by hand. Takes a small and uneven amount off the surface, so it is not free dimensionally on a tight fit, and it is done where a hand can reach: an internal channel does not get sanded.
- Vapour smoothed — the surface softened chemically until the layer lines close. It is the one option here that changes the surface rather than abrading it, and it rounds fine detail along with the layer lines. Offered for ABS and ASA only; for other materials it is not on the list.
- Painted — colour on top of the part. It adds material, so it moves dimensions outward, and as a coating it can chip where the part is handled.
- Clear coated — gloss and a little scratch resistance without changing the colour. Also adds material.
Other finishes — bead blasting, tumbling, dyeing, polishing — are not on the list at the moment.
What a finish cannot do
It cannot make a printed part isotropic, it cannot close a porous surface well enough to hold pressure, and it cannot turn a process-typical tolerance into a tighter one. If a surface must be flat, sealed or dimensionally exact, that face needs machining after printing — secondary work we do not offer ourselves.
How to choose
Pick the simplest finish that gives you the look you want: supports removed for most parts, sanded or painted when the part will be on display, clear coat for a little gloss and protection. If you have a question, write to us.