With the continuous progress and innovation of 3D printing technology, 3D printing technology has gradually emerged and become one of the best solutions in the field of small-batch parts production. This technology has been favored by many manufacturing companies for its high efficiency and flexibility. However, even the most cutting-edge and advanced 3D printing equipment will inevitably produce parts with slightly rough surfaces and varying degrees of defects during the actual production process. These surface defects will significantly affect the overall appearance and touch of the parts, thereby reducing the market competitiveness of the products to a certain extent.
In this case, it is crucial to improve the surface finish of parts and enhance their overall performance through effective post-processing methods. The importance of post-processing technology is self-evident. It can solve the problems of roughness and defects on the surface of 3D printed parts in a targeted manner, thereby significantly improving the surface finish and comprehensive performance of parts. Among the many post-processing technologies, vapor smoothing technology stands out with its unique processing principle and excellent processing effect, becoming an ideal choice for achieving surface finish and performance improvement of parts. Through vapor smoothing, not only can the roughness of the part surface be effectively eliminated, but also its mechanical properties and service life can be further improved, which enriches the foundation for the widespread application of 3D printed parts.
What is vapor smoothing?
vapor smoothing: vapor smoothing is a surface treatment technology used in fields such as 3D printing.
During the 3D printing process, the surface of the printed model usually has unevenness such as layer lines, which affects the appearance and texture of the model. vapor smoothing technology processes 3D printed parts in a specific vapor environment. Its core principle is to use the heat of vapor to slightly melt the plastic material on the surface of the model. In this process, due to the natural effect of the surface tension of the liquid, the molten plastic will flow spontaneously and gradually fill in the tiny gaps and pits on the surface of the model. This flow and filling effect makes the surface of the model smoother, significantly improving its appearance and texture.
It is worth noting that different 3D printing materials have different requirements for vapor types. For example, for the widely used ABS plastic, acetone vapor smoothing is the most common choice. When performing vapor smoothing, the operator needs to accurately control multiple key parameters, including the temperature of the vapor, the processing time, etc. The precise regulation of these parameters is crucial: if the processing time is too short, the uneven areas on the surface of the model may not be effectively improved, and the smoothing effect is not ideal; on the contrary, if the processing time is too long, it may cause the plastic on the surface of the model to melt excessively, causing the model to deform and lose the original shape accuracy and detail features.
vapor smoothing technology not only significantly improves the appearance quality of the model, but also enhances the corrosion resistance of the model to a certain extent. This is because the smooth surface reduces the tiny gaps where corrosive substances may accumulate, thereby reducing the risk of corrosion. For this reason, vapor smoothing technology has been widely used and recognized in application scenarios that require high surface quality, such as product prototype display, artistic creation, and high-end manufacturing. It not only enhances the visual appeal of the product, but also extends the service life of the product, becoming one of the important means of post-processing of 3D printing.
How does vapor smoothing work?
vapor smoothing is a technology used for surface treatment of 3D printed models. Its working principle is based on the property that thermoplastics will soften and deform at a certain temperature. Here is its specific working principle:
1. Formation of vapor environment :
vapor smoothing requires a closed container into which high-temperature vapor is injected. Specific solvent vapor is usually used, such as acetone vapor (for some common thermoplastics , such as ABS). By heating the solvent to vaporize it, the container is filled with vapor at a certain temperature and pressure, providing the necessary conditions for subsequent processing.
2. Softening of the model surface and the role of surface tension :
Place the 3D printed model in a container filled with vapor. Due to the high temperature of the vapor, the thermoplastic on the surface of the model begins to absorb heat and reaches its glass transition temperature (the glass transition temperature is different for different plastic materials).
At this time, the activity of the plastic molecules is enhanced, and the plastic on the surface of the model gradually changes from a solid state to a flowable, semi-solid state. When the surface of the model is in a softened state, surface tension begins to play a key role. Surface tension is a force of mutual attraction between molecules on the surface of a liquid. Its function is to shrink the surface of the liquid as much as possible to achieve a state of minimum surface area. During the vapor smoothing process, the softened model surface is like a thin layer of liquid. Under the action of surface tension, the microscopic undulations and irregularities on the surface of the model will be “flattened”. The material on the convex part will flow to the concave part to fill the gaps and cavities, and the originally rough surface will gradually become smooth.
At this time, the material inside the model still maintains a relatively stable solid structure, which ensures that the overall shape of the model will not be significantly distorted or deformed due to surface softening.
3. Cooling and solidification :
After a certain period of vapor treatment, turn off the vapor source and remove the model from the container. As the model is exposed to the room temperature environment, the softened plastic on the surface cools rapidly, the molecular activity decreases, and it solidifies again into a solid state. At this point, the surface of the model has formed a relatively smooth and continuous shell under the action of surface tension, and the vapor smoothing treatment is finally completed.
In short, the vapor smoothing technology softens the thermoplastic plastic on the surface of the 3D printed model under a high-temperature vapor environment, improves the surface flatness with the help of surface tension, and then cools and solidifies, thereby significantly improving the appearance quality and surface smoothness of the model.
Types of vapor smoothing
Vapor smoothing is applicable to a variety of plastic materials, but each material has its own unique vapor smoothing treatment method. Let’s take a look at it together.
•vapor smoothing PLA
“Vapor smoothing PLA” generally refers to a post-processing technology called “vapor smoothing” for polylactic acid (PLA) materials.
PLA is a commonly used material in 3D printing. It is made of renewable resources such as corn starch and sugarcane. It has good biocompatibility and degradability, and its cost is relatively low, so it has been widely used in the field of 3D printing. However, the surface of PLA products after 3D printing usually has layered lines and roughness, which has an adverse effect on its appearance and certain properties.
Vapor smoothing uses the vapor generated by certain solvents to slightly dissolve the surface of PLA. After the solvent evaporates, the PLA surface will solidify again, forming a smoother and more uniform surface. Solvents such as acetone are often used for vapor smoothing of PLA. This treatment method can not only improve the appearance of the product and make it close to the smoothness of injection molded products, but also enhance its waterproof performance and reduce surface pores to a certain extent .
•vapor smoothing ABS
“Vapor smoothing ABS” refers to the process of using vapor to smooth the surface of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic.
ABS is a common thermoplastic that is widely used in manufacturing processes such as 3D printing and injection molding. However, the printed or molded surface of ABS may have layer lines, rough textures, or other defects.
Vapor smoothing exposes the ABS part to acetone solvent vapor, which softens the outer layer of the plastic as it comes in contact with the ABS surface. As the vapor evaporates, the softened plastic re-solidifies, resulting in a smoother surface. This process can enhance the aesthetic appearance of ABS parts, making them look more like mass-produced injection molded parts. In some cases, it may also improve the mechanical properties of the part, such as reducing stress concentrations at surface irregularities. In addition, vapor smoothed ABS surfaces are more suitable for painting, plating, or other post-processing operations because the smooth surface provides better adhesion for the coating.
•vapor smoothing PETG
smoothing PETG is a post-processing technique used to enhance the surface finish of 3D printed parts made from polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG).
It typically involves exposing the 3D printed PETG part to solvent vapor, which softens the outer layer of the PETG. The softened layer then has a tendency to flow and rearrange itself. As the softened material is redistributed, surface defects caused by the 3D printing process, such as layer lines, small bumps, or rough areas, are gradually smoothed out.
Advantages of Vapor Smoothing
vapor smoothing has the following advantages:
ΔImprove surface quality :
By treating the workpiece in a high-temperature and high-pressure vapor environment, tiny surface defects such as pores and scratches can be effectively filled, making the workpiece surface smoother. This can significantly improve the surface quality of some parts that require extremely high surface accuracy, such as optical lenses and precision molds, reduce problems such as light scattering and friction resistance, and thus improve product performance.
ΔImprove dimensional accuracy :
During the vapor smoothing process, the material will undergo a certain degree of plastic deformation under the action of vapor. This deformation can make the size of the workpiece closer to the design requirements and reduce manufacturing tolerances. For some parts with complex shapes, where traditional processing methods are difficult to ensure dimensional accuracy, vapor smoothing technology can accurately correct them, improve overall dimensional accuracy, ensure the matching accuracy between parts, and improve product assembly quality and stability.
ΔEnhance material performance :
vapor reacts chemically with the workpiece surface, which may form a dense oxide film or other compound film on the surface. This film can not only improve the corrosion resistance of the material, prevent the workpiece from being oxidized and corroded during use, and extend the service life of the product, but also enhance the hardness and wear resistance of the material, improve the mechanical properties of the workpiece surface, and make it more adaptable to harsh working environments and high-intensity use requirements.
ΔClean and environmentally friendly :
Compared with some traditional surface treatment processes, such as chemical plating and electroplating, vapor smoothing technology does not use a large amount of chemical reagents, avoids the generation and discharge of chemical waste liquids, and reduces pollution to the environment. vapor, as a processing medium, has a wide source and is pollution-free, which meets the requirements of modern manufacturing industry for environmentally friendly production and is conducive to the sustainable development of enterprises.
Applications of Vapor Smoothing
vapor smoothing is a post-processing technology for 3D printing. By exposing the printed parts to a specific vapor environment, the plastic surface is melted and reshaped to achieve a smooth surface effect. It has a wide range of applications:
♦ Electronic products field :
3D printed electronic product shells, such as mobile phone shells and earphone shells, have significantly improved surface smoothness and texture after vapor smoothing, approaching the appearance quality of injection molded products . In addition, for some 3D printed parts with specific air ducts or fluid channels inside, such as heat dissipation structures, vapor smoothing can reduce surface roughness, reduce fluid resistance, improve heat dissipation efficiency and other functional performance, and ensure the stable operation of electronic products.
♦ Medical field :
Some customized medical devices, such as dental models and prostheses, are vapor-smoothed after 3D printing, making the surface smoother and more comfortable when in contact with human tissue, reducing friction and irritation to human tissue and improving the patient experience.
vapor smoothing can also be used for model making in medical teaching and surgical simulation . This technology makes the surface details of the model clearer and smoother, realistically simulating the appearance and feel of human tissues and organs, helping doctors to better carry out preoperative planning and teaching demonstrations.
♦Automobile manufacturing field :
When making prototypes during the automotive R&D stage, vapor smoothing can quickly transform the rough 3D-printed prototype into a model that looks and feels close to a mass-produced product, making it easier for designers and engineers to intuitively evaluate the product’s form, assembly and other performance, and speeding up the R&D process. In addition, some customized parts inside the car, such as dashboard trims and air-conditioning vents , can be vapor -smoothed after 3D printing to improve the surface quality of the parts and enhance their durability and corrosion resistance.
♦Aerospace :
Aerospace components have extremely high requirements for performance and quality. 3D printed parts are vapor smoothed to eliminate tiny surface defects, improve surface finish, reduce aerodynamic resistance, and enhance the fatigue strength and corrosion resistance of components to ensure reliable operation in extreme environments.
♦Art and design field :
When artists use 3D printing to create sculptures and crafts, vapor smoothing can transform the rough printing surface into a smooth, textured artistic surface, achieving a unique artistic effect, meeting the diverse needs of artistic creation for surface effects, and enhancing the artistic value of the work.
What is the lead time for a vapor smoothing project?
The lead time for a vapor smoothing project typically depends on the size and complexity of the part, as well as the volume of the customer’s order . Small to medium-sized projects can usually be completed in a few hours to a few days. Larger or more complex parts may take longer, but the process is still much faster than many traditional smoothing methods.
For more precise lead times, please feel free to consult HengDa directly .
Choose HengDa vapor smoothing Service
You can trust us to customize your vapor smoothing service or choose HengDa to source your vapor smoothing components and parts. As a manufacturing company, we have extensive experience in manufacturing parts with different post-treatments, which can not only provide you with high-quality surface treatment with excellent optical clarity, but also provide you with favorable prices and faster delivery time.