Before

3D-printed dome component before polishing, showing rough FDM surface texture

Digital metrology scan of 3D-printed dome before polishing, showing Sa 100.98 µin surface roughness

After

3D-printed dome component after centrifugal disc polishing, with smooth finish

Digital metrology scan of polished dome part, showing reduced surface roughness to Sa 10.85 µin

Objective

Bel Air Finishing was tasked with developing a polishing process for 3D-printed Dome & Base components with integrated screw inserts, printed in flexible materials like Hytrel 60D and TPU 90. The customer required a surface finish of 60 microinches (µin) or better, suitable for functional assembly and cosmetic improvement.

Industry3D Post-Processing – Plastic
Part DescriptionDome & Base w/ Screw Inserts
3D Printing TechnologyDLP/CDLP/CLIP, FDM, MJF, Poly Jet, SLA, SLS
MaterialHytrel 60D, TPU 90
Process TechnologySmooth & Polish Surface
Equipment TypeCentrifugal Disc Finisher

Solution

Using centrifugal disc finishing, Bel Air achieved a consistent, smooth surface on both components of the Dome & Base part while preserving dimensional integrity around screw inserts and threaded features. This process reduced surface roughness to an Sa value of 10.85 µin, delivering a clean, uniform finish with improved appearance and touch.

The process was carefully tuned to accommodate flexible materials like Hytrel and TPU across additive manufacturing methods such as DLP, FDM, MJF, PolyJet, SLA, and SLS. The resulting surface met cosmetic and functional requirements for both prototyping and production environments.

If you are unsure what equipment and media you require to achieve your desired surface finish, send us your part, and we will evaluate it and provide you with a detailed metrology report.