Prototype Part Finishing: What Are The Options?

Your prototype part can be finished in a range of ways depending on the prototyping technology used to create it.

From manual trimming by model makers to spray painting to match an existing product or brand requirements, lots of options exist.

With SLA parts a high quality surface finish can be achieved through the 3D part build process itself. From then on if you need your part to look and feel like the real thing – for example for concept presentations, tradeshows, demonstrations or photographic purposes, you’ll need a ‘production’ finish.

Where a simple 3D part is needed for concept model purposes, a good standard finish can be achieved relatively quickly and with only minimal hand finishing.

However a very high quality production finish can be achieved with SLA parts, with other 3D Printing processes such as SLS or FDM, and with CNC or Vacuum Casting parts.

This depends, of course, on whether your prototyping bureau has the necessary in-house skills and facilities to provide a complete finishing service.

The range of requirements for ‘production’ quality finish will generally include one or more of the following:

• Tinting: normally specified at the outset, and determined by the choice of resin
• Surface texture and smoothness: removal of supports, sanding or blasting
• Colour matching: spray painting or hand painting, including Pantone or RAL matching
• Coating: application of plating, shielding or durability coating
• Functioning elements: addition of inserts or functional assemblies                                                                               

Many prototyping bureaus will produce SLA parts to a ‘standard or Normal’ finish, and will issue a guide as to what ‘standard or normal’ actually means.

Beware: standard can vary massively. As a general rule, the faster the turnaround, the lower the finish quality, albeit that this is usually perfectly acceptable for concept parts.

Clear or tinted finishes can be determined based on the choice of resin used. Your prototyping partner can advise on the range and properties of the resin materials they offer.

As a summary, the more detailed the requirements for the finish become, so the cost and the time required for production and finishing increase.

The table below offers a guide to the options, including the spectrum of finishing levels, the detailing involved, typical applications and the cost and time implications.

At Prototype Projects we offer a Basic, Normal and Detailed finishing.

Talk to us about your next prototype project

Contact us for more information on all our finishing options on 01763 249760.