How To Finish Pla 3d Prints

3d printing is a wonderful process but for convention and show ready prints some post processing may be necessary.

How to finish pla 3d prints. 3d printing is a wonderful process but for. Smooth and finish your pla prints part 2. In selecting the best finishing technique for your pla print there are certain characteristics that you may consider in making your decision. This can be particularly important if youre printing with pla which is known as one of the most forgiving and easiest 3d printing filaments to work with.

Sanding is going to be the most common finishing technique with any 3d printing filament. Thanks to instructables in 2013 my life as a maker changed a lot. In that year i won my first 3d printer with my nerf sentry gun instructable. In this instructable i am going to show you how i smooth pla 3d prints with four different methods.

Dont allow the heat gun to stay pointed at any single area as prolonged exposure will easily melt pla. How to sand 3d prints polishing sanding is a simple and somewhat easy way to finish process a 3d print depending on the material in question. Its easy and its cheap but that doesnt make it any less tedious. It is best to set the temperature of the heat gun only slightly above plas glass transition temperature at around 80 to 100 0c.

Depending on your 3d printed part spray the under side part first use a side to side motion for a smoother finish and better coverage shake the paint can every couple of mins while using hold the spray can about 20 cms from the 3d print. Learn some helpful techniques from our resident cosplayer to turn even the most polygonal model into a smooth masterpiece. For example pla and abs can respond very well to sanding. Things to remember about pla.

Some printing materials respond well to sanding with other materials it may not be an option.