Overview – Vapour Smoothing
Our vapor smoothing service offers the highest-quality finish for SLS, MJF, and SAF technologies. In just one step, your parts are transformed from a natural, granular texture to a sleek, high-gloss finish, resembling the look of injection-moulded parts.
Our machine, the Dyemansion PowerFuse S, uses a powerful yet eco-friendly vapour-based chemical to melt and smooth the part’s outer surface. This process refines both the interior and exterior, resulting in smoother, stronger, and lower-friction parts that are easier to clean.
Also referred to as vapour fused, vapour surfacing, vapour polishing, PowerFuse, chemical smoothing, or chemical surfacing.
How much does it cost?
30p per part + 10%
This covers the process of hanging the individual parts plus the cost of the process.
Maximum Part Size
260mm x 260mm x 310mm (Economy, Trade & Scheduled orders)
What Colours?
Black Only
Appearance and Finish
The result from the process are the most premium on offer for SLS, MJF and SAF 3D printed parts. Notable points about the finish are as follows:
Gloss finish – parts have a super smooth gloss finish all over
Light reflective – light bounces off the parts nicely to give them a sheen
Textured – a slight texture to the surface making them visually more interesting
Smooth touch – the surface is the smoothest to touch of all of our offerings
Witness mark – all prints will have a witness mark somewhere discrete from the hanging process.
Smaller parts – show the texture much more
Larger parts – show the texture much less
Vapour smoothing is highly recommended for
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Super Smooth Finish – glossier finish compared to vibro-polishing or shot peening, suitable for complex geometries. - +
Eco-Friendly Solvent – Utilises sustainable, non-hazardous solvent, certified eco-friendly. - +
Technology Compatible – works with SLS and MJF parts
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Penetrating Vapour – smooth internal surfaces and channels - +
Organic Shapes – smoothing internal surfaces and channels. - +
Colour Enhancement – much deeper black than other finishes
Advantages of Vapour Smoothing
Powerfuse S by Dyemansion – How it works
Parts are individually hung on a frame with either a wire through a hole in the part or a hook. The parts are then automatically loaded into a sealed chamber and heated up.
The chamber’s ambient temperature is hotter than the outer surface of the parts. Vapour is then released in cycles into the sealed chamber. With the surface of the parts being colder than the atmosphere they are in, the vapour condenses on the surface of the part. This contact with the vapour on the surface of the part causes a chemical reaction that melts the surface of the part. This melting creates a smooth and homogeneous surface to the parts.
After a set period of time, the vapour is expelled from the chamber and the parts are automatically unloaded from the machine.
Requirements
Hanging Hoop
Every part needs to have a hoop so that we can hang the parts in the machine.
We add this ourselves – there is no requirement for you to model the hoop in.
The hoop is then removed by us before the items are shipped.
Please note that the hoop will leave a witness mark where it was removed.
We aim to make them as discrete as possible and away from “A” surfaces or datum faces.
We may communicate with you about the best location for the hoop, however, you are also more than welcome to communicate with us where you would like us to put it.
Risks
Warping
Thin walls or large flat surfaces are at risk of warping. Aim to keep wall thicknesses above 1.5mm where possible.
Gap Filling
Narrow gaps (below 1mm) can fuse together if the vapour bridges the gaps between the surfaces during the process.
Blistering
Parts with narrow grooves or recesses risk blistering as the vapour condenses more in these geometries. Try to avoid deep recesses with narrow openings where possible.
Layer Lines and Imperfections
Minor imperfections, blemishes and layer lines can be highlighted visually due to the reflective nature of the gloss finish. Little can be done to avoid this sadly, so you must be aware of what you are purchasing.
Mixed Finishes
Different materials react differently in this process – try to stick to one single material where you can to avoid varying surface finishes on a multi-part product.
Witness Marks
All Vapour polished parts will have witness marks on them from where the hooks used to hang the parts are removed.
Talk to Andrew, our Head of Technical Sales, and discover how our services can save you time and money while achieving the highest quality prints.
Design Guidelines, Maximums and Minimums
Max Print Size
This is the maximum size we can print a part in one piece
260mm x 260mm x 310mm
Min Wall Thickness
This is the minimum wall thickness we can guarantee to print. You are able to print under this guarantee at your own risk, however, prints under our guarantee are not covered for a free reprint if damaged.
Thickness: 1.5mm
Min Embossed Thickness
This is the minimum thickness a surface detail can be – this includes text and small intricate details. Note the thickness stroke width, not the width of the entire letter if referring to text.
Width: 0.5mm
height: 0.3mm
Min Engraved Thickness
This is the minimum thickness a engraved surface detail can be – this includes text and small intricate details. Note the thickness stroke width, not the width of the entire letter if referring to text.
Width: 0.5mm
Depth: 0.3mm
Min Hole Sizes
This is the minimum diameter of a hole. As a rule of thumb, the longer the hole, the larger the diameter is required to prevent them from blocking with powder. It is best to avoid long and twisting holes as these are near impossible to clear the powder from post-print.
<2mm depth: 1mm
2-5mm depth: 2mm
5-10mm depth: 3mm
10mm+: at least 4mm
*Powder may not be able to be cleared out of holes longer than 30mm
Clearance
This is the minimum gap required between two separate parts that are designed to fit together, such as a case and a lid. This is the distance between surface faces – remember that this is each side meaning that you need to double this measurement if the whole part is interlocking. e.g. if a shaft is going into a hole, 0.15mm between surfaces means 0.3mm between diameters.
Tight fit: 0.15mm
Smooth fit: 0.25mm
Flat/Warpable Parts
Flat parts are prone to warping. Warping is where the part cools at different rates causing geometrical changes in the object. It is best to try to avoid these shapes where possible, or contact us to ask for advice.
Limitation: part dependant – ask us if you are concerned.
Min Sharp Angle
This is the minium angle recommended without a fillet or chamfer. Parts with sharp angles tend to get damaged in the print or post-processing stages. Anything sharper than the minimum angle is recommended to have a fillet.
Min Angle: 60°
Sharp Angle Fillet
Anything sharper than our minimum guaranteed angle is recommended to have a filleted edge. Filleted edges are far stronger than sharp edges and are less prone to damage in either post-processing or print stages.
Min Fillet: 1mm
Vapour Smoothing – Get an Instant quote using our online system
Grab a quote for our smoothest finish. Our Uploading System takes price breaks into consideration for higher quantities and is the fastest way to get a quote for your project.
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