3D printed items can be shipped in as fast as 24 hours! MJF, SLS, and FDM Expedite Upload Your 3D File

Select Your Country/Region

3D Cosmetic standards

‌3D Printing Surface Finishing Standards (Client Version · 2025 Update)‌


‌1. Quick Selection Guide‌

Match surface finishing techniques to materials and end-use requirements:

‌Technology‌

‌Initial Roughness (Ra)‌

‌Recommended Process‌

‌Post-Process Roughness (Ra)‌

‌International Standards‌

‌FDM Plastics‌

10-25 μm

Sanding + Blasting + Coating

1.5-5 μm

ISO 1302

‌SLA/DLP Resins‌

2-8 μm

Chemical Polishing + UV Curing

0.5-1.2 μm

ASTM D7866

‌SLS Nylon‌

12-20 μm

Vibratory Polishing + Resin Infusion

3-8 μm

ISO 21920-2

‌Metal Printing‌

8-15 μm

CNC Machining + ElectroPolishing

0.4-1.6 μm

ASME B46.1


‌2. Surface Finishing Processes‌

  1. ‌Blasting‌:

    • Materials: Plastics, Metals

    • Effect: Uniform matte finish, reduces Ra by ‌30-70%‌

    • Cost: CNY 0.5-2/cm²

  2. ‌Chemical Polishing‌:

    • Materials: Resins, Titanium Alloys

    • Effect: Mirror-like finish (Ra ≤0.8 μm), may lose ‌0.05-0.2mm‌ in dimensions

    • Compliance: Requires ‌ISO 14001‌ waste treatment certification

  3. ‌Resin Infusion‌:

    • Materials: Porous SLS Nylon

    • Effect: Seals pores, increases hardness by ‌20%‌, enhances water resistance

  4. ‌Electropolishing‌ (Metal Only):

    • Dimensional Impact: ±0.02 mm

    • Time: 30-120 minutes/batch


‌3. Design Guidelines‌

  1. ‌Avoid Untreatable Features‌:

    • Groove/Internal cavity width ≥‌3mm‌ (for tool access)

    • Minimum text embossing height ≥‌0.3mm‌ (prevents blurring after polishing)

  2. ‌Balance Function & Aesthetics‌:

    • Friction Parts: Maintain ‌Ra 6-10 μm‌ for lubrication (per ISO 4288)

    • Transparent Parts: Prioritize ‌Nano-Coating‌ (light transmittance ≥92%)


‌4. 2025 Industry Innovations‌

  • ‌Laser Nanopolishing‌: Non-contact metal surface refinement, achieves ‌Ra 0.05 μm‌ in ‌5 seconds/cm²‌ (Cost: CNY 8-15/cm²).

  • ‌Biodegradable Coating‌: Eco-friendly PLA surface finish (Ra 1.2 μm), compliant with ‌EU REACH 2025‌.


‌5. Acceptance Criteria‌

‌Grade‌

‌Ra Range (μm)‌

‌Applications‌

‌Industrial‌

≤3.2

Mechanical components, seals

‌Consumer‌

≤6.3

Casings, decorative parts

‌Prototyping‌

≤12.5

Internal structural testing