Protolabs
Protolabs has announced the availability of new surface quality standards for 3D printed prototypes and parts, thanks to new and improved post-processing steps according to the company. Protolabs says its customers now have flexible surface finish options when producing prototype and production components through multi-jet fusion and selective laser sintering.
“Surface roughness plays a critical role in the performance of 3D printed parts,” said Daniel Cohn, General Manager and 3DP Lead EMEA, Protolabs Europe. “However, we recognise that not every project requires the same level of surface finish, and quite often, what is optimal for one industry is not for another. Through the new, flexible surface finishing options, customers can opt for a standard finish to suit their needs or can benefit from superior levels of quality when required.”
The new quality standards are categorised as pure, smooth, and vapour smooth. Each of the three quality levels has different properties and benefits that optimise a component’s functionality, integrity, and design aspect, meaning there is a suitable secondary for every project according to the company.
The ‘pure’ quality grade has a comparably high degree of roughness according to Protolabs, with a roughness value of around 20-30 µm and Rz = 120-160 µm respectively. Parts with the ‘smooth’ quality level have a reduced surface toughness, with a value of approximately 10-25 µm and Rz = 50-140 µm, and can be used for a wider range of materials.
This form of post processing is suitable for the series production components as well as prototypes according to Protolabs. The ‘smooth’ finish is now the default finish offered by the company for most materials.
Parts with a ‘vapour smooth’ finish demonstrate a value of Ra = 5-15 µm and Rz = 25-65 µm respectively, and have a very low level of surface roughness compared to the other two quality levels, close to the smooth finish that is typically associated with injection moulded parts says Protolabs.
The ’vapour smooth’ quality grade delivers waterproof, airtight components that are easy to clean and meet high aesthetic requirements due to the smooth, sealed surface according to the company, which it says makes it popular in the automotive, medical technology industries as well as housing technologies.
Protolabs recently held its inaugural InspirON exchange event, an intimate event with a number of 3D printing users from various companies in attendance.
