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BigRep Unveils Two New Industrial 3D Printers With MXT- Metering Extruder Technology

BigRep next generation

Powered by BigRep MXT® and state-of-the-art CNC control systems and drives by Bosch Rexroth, the PRO and EDGE deliver unprecedented speed, precision and quality for industrial applications and full connectivity to integrate additive manufacturing with Industry 4.0

BigRep, the global leader in large-scale 3D printing, today at formnext, the world's leading exhibition for additive manufacturing, unveiled a significant breakthrough in Thermoplastic Extrusion (Fused Filament Fabrication – FFF). BigRep’s new proprietary MXT® will power its two new 3D printers and set a new standard for and redefine additive manufacturing.

The BigRep PRO and BigRep EDGE are the German-engineered company’s next-generation 3D printers, promising to provide engineers and designers with the ability to create functional prototypes, as well as composite tooling, end-use parts and small-number serial production. Capable of printing with high-performance materials, the PRO and EDGE will firmly establish 3D printing as an innovative, added value production technology in industries such as automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, manufacturing and more.

Unveiled on Tuesday, the new printers are embedded with BigRep MXT®, an exclusive Metering Extruder Technology, and equipped with a state-of-the-art Bosch Rexroth motion control system – delivering unprecedented speed, precision and quality and IoT connectivity that fully integrates with Industry 4.0.

BigRep PRO is available to order immediately. BigRep EDGE is scheduled for release in Q2 2019.

“This new technology delivers the type of innovation that the industry has been awaiting, as our groundbreaking MXT® system makes our new printers five times faster – with greater precision and quality – than current extrusion speeds,” said BigRep CEO, Stephan Beyer, PhD. “This is one giant leap for additive manufacturing, allowing BigRep customers to make full use of today’s most advanced large-scale 3D printing technology.”

BigRep PRO is specifically designed for 3D printing of large-scale industrial parts and features a build envelope of one cubic meter and a large, temperature-controlled spool chamber allowing for continuous printing with high-performance materials, like ASA/ABS, nylon and more. The insulated, enclosed metal frame ensures an optimal even temperature control, while glass doors offer a view of the print. The heated print bed is mounted with polyimide foil for enhanced adhesion during the printing process, and an integrated inductive sensor allows for semi-automatic leveling.

BigRep EDGE, with a build chamber measuring 1500 x 800 x 600 mm, is specifically designed for high-end, high performance materials in large-scale format, allowing for end-use parts, functional prototypes and composite tooling. Its heated build chamber provides a controlled, high-temperature environment of up to 200° C in the chamber and 220° C in the print bed. The EDGE also features a premium user experience with automatic, upward-moving doors and an easy-to-use graphical interface on a large screen that enables full control over all print settings.

formnext-2018-unveiling-2

The new technology powering these 3D printers is significant because extrusion technology has largely been unchanged for a quarter-century. The first major advancement is a result of the development partnership announced earlier this year between BigRep and Bosch Rexroth, one of the world’s leading suppliers of drive and control technologies. Through this partnership, the PRO and the EDGE will be the first 3D printers by BigRep incorporating a state-of-art CNC control systems and drives by Bosch Rexroth, making 3D printing a truly IoT-ready machine with full connectivity and data.

Thomas Fechner, General Manager of the Business Unit New Business at Bosch Rexroth, commented: “Thanks to professional control systems technology, 3D printing is establishing itself as an industrial manufacturing application. In terms of hardware, the CNC control system by Bosch Rexroth is delivering the necessary performance, precision and durability. In our development partnership with BigRep, we are advancing the potential of 3D printing for its use in the environment of the Factory of the Future.”

The second major advancement is BigRep MXT®. Unlike its predecessor, BigRep MXT® establishes a clear separation between filament feeding and melting and molten extrusion, which allows for full control over the amount and speed of material extruded at any given time. This new technology is also designed to make full advantage of the innovative printing materials BigRep, in its partnership with BASF, continues to develop.

PRO and EDGE are equipped with two MXT® modular extrusion heads, which manage and synchronize the extrusion and printing operations. This translates into:

  • Printing speeds of >600 millimeters per second (mm/s), when the PRO is used with its finest 0.6 mm nozzle, making it five times faster than any FFF printer on the market. The EDGE surpasses that with speeds of up to 1,000 mm/s with the finest 0.6 mm nozzle in place.
  • Demonstrated filament throughput rate of 5x at the maximum extrusion rate and 3x at the average extrusion rate, compared to FFF technology, delivering material deposition control that allows for unmatched quality, repeatability and precision.

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To the Moon and Back with Bigrep on the set of the First Man Movie

first man movie and the Bigrep ONE

In 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to land on the moon, saying “that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” It was a historic moment, that would forever change our perspective on what is possible with new technology.

The First Man, directed by Damien Chazelle, is showing in movie theaters around the world and we can proudly say that Bigrep took a small part in its production. It’s unlikely that Bigrep will be the next Ryan Gosling or Claire Foy, but who knows, given how quickly artificial intelligence is developing.

“With new slicing software you can take a big scale model, chop it up and print it overnight on 18 3D printers. We literally ran those printers 24 hours a day for six months. This German company called BigRep developed a metre-by-metre print bed and they loaned us two of their machines so we could print an Apollo 11 capsule in one go,” said Nathan Crowley, the Production Designer for the film to the animationmagazine.net.

For Crowley, the four-time Academy Award nominee, it was important to have the real parts during the production process, to get a proper impression of their form on the set. Recording these key scenes using miniatures made it look more realistic, for the whole audience. Crowley believes in combining additive technology with old techniques. The results can be seen on big screens around the world. So what was actually printed? Well, the answer is not so obvious.

Remember the Saturn V rocket from the trailer? We are the only company capable of producing objects this size. The model was 3D printed on two Bigrep ONE printers! In addition to the rocket, the Apollo Command/Service Module and Lunar Excursion Module were also 3D printed. Amazingly, it is impossible to see the difference between the 3D printed objects and the ones created with traditional computer graphic techniques. Crowley and his team know how to blend both techniques, so the viewer cannot spot the difference. (To be honest, if the movie crew didn’t tell us, we would also be in the dark.)

From automobile parts for BMW to Hollywood movie sets, what’s next for additive manufacturing? Without a crystal ball, we can’t say for sure, but what we do know is that’s one small step for the movie industry, one giant leap for Bigrep!

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HOW TO: 3 Steps to Hide the Seams and Become Design Leader

Hiding the seams with Marco

Why is it important?

If one has a good knowledge of slicing software, they can reach a higher quality of the printed object. That naturally influences the general outlook of the one. Important aspect of the final print are the seams. They might spoil the effect of the design. The continuity of the print can be lost at start and end points of every layer. Hiding the seams is important in case of creating a prototype that is true to the final product as possible. Furthermore, it’s especially meaningful if you want to print the ready-to-use objects with important details.

In 3D models a slicing program transforms the model into G-code. The code includes any preferred optimizations and parameter changes. Thanks to that, the person printing the object has much more control of the quality and final outlook of the print. If the software is not set up properly, it automatically generates random starting points in different locations. That can affect the quality of the print. However, when the settings can be changed. It means that user can also change the whole project into one united object. That includes hiding the seams or unwanted curves.

In BigRep we understand the need for the best possible finish effect of the project. That is why we try different slicing methods, to find the perfect one and apply it for the full print height. In our case it is very important due to the large-scale printable quantity.

The tutorial

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The tutorial explains how to avoid this problem and how to, using Simplify3D slicing software, step-by-step generate optimal start points. Marco Mattia Cristofori, the Architect and 3D Printing Specialist at BigRep, explains that a few additional modifications of the start and end location of the layers can make it sure that the seam is created in an optimal spot on the print. Often there is a natural groove or corner in a print that is a hiding spot for the seam. For example, on the manifold pictured and printed on Bigrep STUDIO, the curve on the right-hand side covers up the seam nicely. “We can make the seams follow the exact path we want them to follow,” said Cristofori. “So, instead, we can optimize this when we generate the G-code”.

hiding the seams

3 STEPS TO HIDE THE SEAMS

You can hide the seams on your print in 3 easy steps:

1) Import your model on Simplify3D and figure out how many processes you need to split the part in. Make sure the seams follow the path you want.

2) Edit singularly each process on the LAYER section changing the X & Y setting where the seams should be set up closer to.

3) Slice the part generating the G-code and check for possible improvements. Try different variation of the X & Y settings until you achieve the result you need.

However, Simplify3D is not the only possible tool. The list and description of popular slicing software can be found here.

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From 3D Scanning to 3D Printing – Finding 3D Solutions in Florida

3d scanning - Neometrix 3D solutions

When it comes to finding an individual solution for various Floridian industries, NeoMetrix is a go-to name, providing 3D scanning and engineering services. Surrounded by around 19,000 manufacturing companies, they have found a way to stand out in this sunshine state. Being active in a handful of major industries and knowing how important it is to understand the specific needs of their customers, they were bound to be a great fit for the BigRep reseller network.

It has been 15 years since Dan Perreault launched NeoMetrix Technologies, Inc. As the President & CEO of this Orlando-based company, he started out as a reseller of one of the world’s leading producers of 3D scanners and providing engineering services.  His experienced team offers a range of services and supplies from scanning and tooling to prototyping and designing.

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Perreault describes the company as a solution-oriented organization. “We don’t want to sell boxes, we want to offer real solutions to companies,” he said. In terms of improving their productivity, the BigRep printer gives them not only larger format prints, but also reduced costs of materials, compared with other filament providers. For NeoMetrix, the BigRep STUDIO has turned out to be the perfect tool for expanding their cooperation with customers. “With BigRep,” Perreault continued, “the overall cost of machine ownership is much lower than competitive systems.   It’s our position that this attribute will allow more customers to take advantage of this technology.”

3d scanning of a statue

Florida is an ideal environment for working in the 3D printing industry, thanks to the broad array of industries operating out of the southern state. Perreault said, “Thinking of Florida you think… theme parks!” Indeed, this magical place opens many windows for large-scale 3D printing. “We definitely have a lot of opportunities in the entertainment industry. There is also a large aerospace presence here too.” In addition to that, NeoMetrix is active in the automotive, manufacturing and education fields, and have a wealth of experience working on projects for art and sculpture-making using 3D scanning and printing technologies.

The importance of having the knowledge and experience in the 3D scanning industry cannot be understated – it has helped make NeoMetrix one of the 3D leaders in Florida. It’s not only their excellent service in a diverse range of fields that makes them unique in the market, but also the customer-focused attitude they have. The depth of understanding their customers’ values and demands has put them in the perfect position to demonstrate the business benefits that come from large-scale 3D printing.

“We want to understand what it is customers want to do, how are they doing it now, and how we can help them do it better – and perhaps the BigRep way.”

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Driving 3D Printing into Future Factories: BMW Group Personal Mover Concept

Personal Mover Concept by BMW research center

As a result of improving technology, our world and our everyday lives are going through drastic changes, particularly in regard to mobility. We can drive, we can fly, we can cruise and we can innovate – we’re moving in completely different ways according to our shifting needs.

bmw1

To make the working lives of their employees easier and more efficient, renowned global automaker BMW Group has created the Personal Mover Concept. BMW Group Research and Innovation Center in Munich designed this impressive electric one-person means of transport. The idea behind such a unique project was simple:

Employees at BMW Group plants and logistics centers sometimes cover up to 12 kilometers per day on foot – and having to carry small parts and work materials often makes it even harder. Sites such as the BMW Group Research and Innovation Center in Munich or the BMW Group plants in Dingolfing and Spartanburg are sprawling campuses, where many employees have to cover huge distances to do their jobs. (source)

The thought was, why not sort a solution for that? Or, to take one step further, why not use additive manufacturing technology to print a solution?The Personal Mover Concept is 60 cm wide and 80 cm long, so even with one person on board, there is still a space for long or heavy objects. It can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h and turn on the spot to the left or right up to 90°. The handlebar contains the entire electrical system, the battery and the drive wheel. Having in mind the safety of users and pedestrians, the Personal Mover Concept includes a bell, brake and a dead man’s control. One of the most innovative facts about this object is that the handlebar stand has been 3D-printed on the BigRep ONE. As Richard Kamissek, Head of the Operations Central Aftersales Logistics Network department said, “It had to be flexible, easy to maneuver, zippy, electric, extremely agile and tilt-proof – and, at the same time, suitable for carrying objects. The Personal Mover Concept can do all of this – and is also fun to drive. We hope to start using it as soon as possible!”

BMW Plant Commuter

Being a part of this innovative idea is not only making us proud, but also giving us food for thought. If, thanks to 3D printing technology, mobility advancements are helping us improve the automotive, aerospace and electric vehicle industries, are there any limits for how far transport can go? Large-scale 3D printing can truly change the way companies innovate. We see everything from prototyping to the whole production process, where 3D-printed objects are present in everyday life and being used all over the world. Starting with factories, we expect to see these kinds of mobility tools in use at airports, shopping malls or warehouses.

3D printing can improve our environment in faster, more cost-efficient and creative ways. That makes it the ideal technology for supporting the mobility innovations and creates a range of the excellent opportunities for various industries. We were thrilled to learn of this smart project, and we cannot wait to see what tomorrow will bring for the 3D printing industry, BMW Group and for the entire network of BigRep customers and partners.

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Two Swiss Experts Form a 3D Alliance

“Made like a Swiss watch,” says Daniel Broglie, CEO of Chromos AG to us when we call for a chat. “Right on time, 2PM!” It’s immediately reflective of the value the Swiss CEO – and indeed, perhaps Swiss businesses more broadly – place on precision and timing. As Broglie explains, Swiss companies across industries put huge emphasis on being the best in their field.

They tend to have strong research and development foundations and a lot of companies are highly specialized in what they do – they’re proudly niche, specialized. There’s the material competence, combined with the fact that many of companies do highly specialized tooling for automotive and other core traditional industries. Broglie explains of Swiss industry, “On the one hand, we have to think about production. But on the other side, we have to be thinking about how we can adapt for future success.”

With its beginnings as a 2D printer supplier and ink distributor, the Zurich-based Chromos AG may not have seemed like a clear contender to be a leader in the Swiss 3D printing field. Though it was the company’s philosophy of helping customers to transform their businesses that had them put on their large 3D glasses, so to say.

chromosag-02-web

“We help our customers to find new ways of working – to move from conventional ways of working into the future. It’s not just the printing or the hardware, it has to do with change,” said Broglie. It is this deep knowledge about the ways businesses can shift, strong partnership network and a robust contact base across Switzerland, that formed the basis for a powerhouse cooperation in the field of additive manufacturing.

Chromos AG has a history with Bern-based 3D printing experts Form AG, as supplier for them. It turned out the two companies had a mutual interest in BigRep machines and were brought together by BigRep’s Sales Director EMEA & LATAM, Ingolf Nachtigall. They decided to cooperate – finding Form’s strength in applications and using the machines, to be a good fit with Chromos’ customer consulting, sales and after-sales experience (provided by service division Imsag). “We were convinced that this is a really perfect match,” said Broglie. “We can benefit from each other and learn.”

Chromos AG and Form AG have gone on to found Plattform3, which is a 3D-printing-focused venture to consult Swiss companies on using large-scale BigRep technology to improve their production. Form AG is a pioneer of new technologies in a range of fields, including 3D modelling. Recently they worked on a fascinating advertisement project for the Samsung SSD 850 Pro internal storage device, in which they designed the Samsung Robot ‘Victo’ (watch the robo-battle ad here) and also printed a full-scale example of it on the BigRep ONE.

chromosag-03-web

Stefan Ingold, CEO of Form AG, is thrilled with the partnership with Chromos and BigRep and believes it can further convince Swiss companies that it is crucial to engage with large-scale 3D printing technologies as soon as possible. “Ensure your finger is on the pulse, and benefit from the sheer unlimited possibilities of 3D printing,” said Ingold. “3D is also about implementing visions: using technology to develop something unprecedented, exploring new horizons, reinventing oneself, and surprising and inspiring customers.”

Education is a big part of this, because additive manufacturing technologies are an investment for the long run, not a fad. Many Swiss industries are listening closely, but perhaps just not yet sold on the benefits for their business. BigRep is a proud partner with Chromos AG, Form AG and their Plattform3 in this process. “BigRep shares cool applications, and if this helps our industries to see the potential, then that is a great thing,” said Broglie of BigRep’s resources, such as blog articles, videos and use case e-books. “We feel BigRep really wants to understand what customers are doing. We like their partnership approach as well.”

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Adding to the Manufacturing Discourse in Chicago – Our IMTS Wrap-Up

Adding to the Manufacturing Discourse in Chicago – Our IMTS Wrap-Up

The Talk of the Show

 BigRep’s large-scale 3D printers attracted a lot of attention, positioned front and center of the additive section.  Both the BigRep ONE and STUDIO were running 24/7 printing high quality parts throughout the show.  We talked with engineers, product designers, professors, managements and C-levels about both the benefit of 3D printing and the value that large-scale can provide.

When attendees learned how big the build platform was, we could immediately see the wheels start turning and attendees imagining all that they could do.  Many challenges we heard throughout the week was – “My printer is too small and I’m spending lot of time gluing and combining parts.”  “I’m not getting quality parts off my larger-scale 3D printer.”  “The strength of my parts isn’t adequate.”  These challenges and more can be solved with a BigRep solution.  From jigs and fixtures to 1:1 parts for prototyping and one off parts to patterns and molds, the possibilities are endless and can help get products to market faster and edge out the competition.

In 2018 and beyond, if companies want to continue innovating, getting bigger and better, then additive needs to be in their portfolio.

A Changing Landscape for Additive & BigRep

No BigRep booth visitor could have missed our enormous banner promoting our next-generation additive machines – our soon-to-come industrial large-scale printers. They’ll be unveiled at formnext (so don’t miss that announcement). While the excitement and interest was evident around the next generation of BigRep printers, we know there are many more to come when we unveil the new machines.

BigRep America president, Frank Marangell had this to say, “IMTS was a great show for BigRep and the additive community. It’s come a long way in the past years and by IMTS 2020, I expect BigRep and additive to be helping reshape manufacturing.”

The BigRep America Team at the booth, IMTS Chigago 2018
Thanks to all our team, partners and visitors for making IMTS 2018 a spectacular success for us!

Stay tuned with BigRep’s upcoming events by signing up to the BigRep Newsletter.

The team could be coming to a city near you – read here about our upcoming events.

Webinar Recap: Large-Scale 3D Printing – Realizing Value from Design to Production

Last week’s webinar on the value of large-scale 3D printing was incredibly well received by BigRep’s network across the world. If you joined us for it – thanks for your company! If you missed it, never fear –you can watch a recording of the webinar here and read on for a recap of the main topics explored.

The webinar was hosted by Frank Marangell, President of BigRep America, following a short introduction from Marketing Manager Abbey Delaney. The main focus of the webinar was large-scale 3D printing and what its power means for a variety of industries, including exploration of the specific use cases.

What is Large-Scale 3D Printing?
The BigRep ONE large-scale printer has a print volume of one cubic meter, making tooling, prototyping and production processes much faster and more effective. So too are 1:1 scale prototypes, which can give designers more valuable information about their own projects by letting them test it in terms of fit, flexibility or strength. That means a short production runs of smaller parts can be achieved in a single print. Without large-scale 3D printing, the larger parts of the projects would never be printed in one piece, making it more difficult for technical staff to develop and visualize market-leading ideas. Compared to the process of gluing together separate components, large-scale 3D printing increases accuracy and strength of big prints. Moreover, it can reduce post-processing time. Large-scale 3D printing offers new end-use product possibilities at full specification.

Large-Scale 3D Printing For Industrial Objects
As Marangell underlines in the webinar, large-scale 3D printing is used in four major applications in industry. Starting with prototyping and modelling, every end-use part can be primarily 3D printed and used as the prototype before the production starts. This method is widely used, among others, in aerospace, automotive, architecture and many additional industries.
Tools and jigs are the second application and probably the most growing area for both BigRep and large-scale 3D printing in general. Adding many benefits for manufacturers, such as speed, flexibility and reduced costs of production, it improves the quality and outlook of the end-use parts of the projects. Large-scale 3D printing can also significantly improve the safety of manufacturing operators, which greatly influences the safety of employees.

The third application, patterns and molds, makes the designs much more accurate and effective comparing to the manual production processes or other alternative technologies. It is widely used not only in metal casting or architecture, but also in marine or wind power.

Short production runs, such as Deutsche Bahn’s headrest, is Marangell’s final additive manufacturing application example. It may have been last, but it is certainly not least – it was said to be potentially the biggest opportunity for large-scale 3D printing. Since additive manufacturing is no longer limited by size, the industry has no limits when it comes to effective short production runs.

Industrial 3D Printing Use Cases
Steelcase, founded in 1912, is the largest global B2B contract furniture company in the world, and they have been using their BigRep ONE since 2016. The Steelcase Munich Learning + Innovation Center has successfully produced full-size, full-specification furniture with a faster turnaround time – producing prototypes in just four days, rather than two months. Hint: our next webinar will delve deeper into this exciting user case!

Steelcase is one of our customer for which 3D printing brought them from design to production

Etihad Airways Engineering is part of the Etihad Aviation Group, with a team of more than 3,000 professionals all over the world. The key barrier to using additive manufacturing technology for production of aircraft cabin interior was the lack of EASA and FAA-certified materials. The BigRep-Etihad partnership was mainly focused on jointly developing AM-suitable polymers that pass the certification process. Large-scale 3D printing not only reduced the costs of producing the aircraft cabin interiors, but it also brought the on-demand production in-house.

Teignbridge Propeller International is a high-performance marine engineering components company producing its signature custom-designed propellers for luxury yachts, ferries and fishing boats. In 2017, the company invested in a BigRep ONE, which helps them manufacture sand cast patterns in two days instead of three. Furthermore, it reduced costs for the pattern maker of up to 90% and decreased the risk of labor shortages, of being out-bid by low-wage locations.

We look forward to following up with another webinar on 29th November. Many thanks to everybody who made the webinar possible, especially our illustrious hosts:

Frank-Marangell-bigrep

Frank Marangell is President of BigRep America Inc. and Executive VP of Global Sales at BigRep. He has been operating at the top level of the additive manufacturing industry for over a decade.

Connect with Frank on Linkedin HERE.

Racing Ahead with Large-Scale 3D Printing

Helmut Schmidt University's Eleven-O-Six Racing Team 3D printed the steering wheel, entire bodywork, and a nose cone prototype.

Eleven-O-Six Racing Team is the motorsport team at Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, Germany. This year, Eleven-O-Six was inspired by the possibilities offered by additive manufacturing and got into gear to see what it could bring to their high-performance car production process.

Steering Wheel Project

car-racing-3dprinting

The first 3D printing project the team embarked on was fabrication of a steering wheel to fit one of their cars. A demanding geometric requirement of the part is an internal cavity able to accommodate a series of electronic control parts. Usually made from carbon fiber, the part also needs to be strong and produced as a single-piece – they found it to be a fast, low-cost production process with the BigRep ONE.

Full Bodywork Project

After success with the steering wheel, Eleven-O-Six raised their sights and set themselves the ambitious challenge of 3D printing the entire bodywork of one of their racing cars.
They created a digital model of the bodywork covering the metal vehicle frame, using existing concept drawings. A full model was produced on CATIA software with support from a specialist in bodywork at project partners, the MRP institute.

With the digital model in place, tweaking and prototyping amended designs became an easy process. As B. Sc. Robert Weber, Manager Bodywork for Eleven-O-Six, told us, “Designing new parts for the bodywork was very comfortable when using the BigRep ONE. I just designed a new part and one or two days later I had the printed version.”

Nose Cone Prototype

Eleven-O-Six first produced a section of the bodywork to examine its quality and performance, arranging for Open Lab in Hamburg to print a nose cone prototype on a BigRep ONE. BigRep
PRO HT filament was chosen for its high temperature resistance. The team oriented the print so that there would be no support material on visible surfaces of the final part.

3.1-web
3.2-web
3.3-web

The nose cone was post-processed with the assistance of a professor of vehicle technology at the university, the final touch was a glue-on decal adding grip to one section of the nose. The part was tested after production by Arconic Fastening Systems.

Race Day Ready

Production and testing of the nose cone demonstrated that bodywork parts could be 3D printed and indicated some advantages of doing so. It also revealed certain issues with the technique. Eleven-O-Six methodically worked through these issues and pushed their additive manufacturing project through to completion: Second Team Lead for the project, Nils Thode, said, “As far as we know we have the only 3D-printed bodywork. Completely 3D printed, no moulding, nothing else.” The Eleven-O-Six team has road tested their car and we were delighted to see it zooming down the raceway, all fitted out with its 3D-printed bodywork.

Prof. Dr.-Ing Jens Wulfsberg, Chair of Production Engineering (LaFT) and leader of the project, underlines a key advantage the new production method brings: “Using the BigRep ONE is the fast solution to produce a fast car because we have short cycles for optimizing the parts. Every optimization cycle, the car is better, faster. This is one of the direct consequences of using the BigRep ONE.”

LARGE-SCALE INNOVATION. LIMITLESS CREATIVITY.

The BigRep ONE is an award-winning, large-format 3D printer at an accessible price point. With over 500 systems installed worldwide, it's a trusted tool of designers, innovators, and manufacturers alike. With a massive one-cubic-meter build volume, the fast and reliable ONE brings your designs to life in full scale.

Explore the ONE

LARGE-SCALE INNOVATION. LIMITLESS CREATIVITY.

The BigRep ONE is an award-winning, large-format 3D printer at an accessible price point. With over 500 systems installed worldwide, it's a trusted tool of designers, innovators, and manufacturers alike. With a massive one-cubic-meter build volume, the fast and reliable ONE brings your designs to life in full scale.

Explore the ONE

3D Printing Post Processing

Post Processing 3D Printed Parts

Guide to Post-Processing 3D Printed Parts: 16 Methods

Get more from your 3D prints with smoother surfaces, improved mechanical properties, enhanced aesthetics, and more.

Get an overview of 16 post-processing techniques in this guide or see some real life examples in the ebook and webinar:

Get eBook + Webinar
Why 3D Print Post Processing Smooth Surface

SMOOTH SURFACES

Reduce the appearance of print layers and refine surfaces

Why 3D Print Post Processing Strengthen Parts

Strengthen Parts

Reinforce prints for added strength and durability

Why 3D Print Post Processing Add Functionality

ADD FUNCTIONALITY

From UV and weather resistance to conductivity and more

Why 3D Print Post Processing Aesthetic Finishing

AESTHETIC FINISHING

Transform the surface appearance for visually striking parts

All 3D prints are produced layer by layer, which results in a notched surface texture that is more pronounced with lower print resolutions. If support structures are needed for your part, it may have additional flaws on its touch points. This guide covers the first step to part finishing, support removal, and the three categories of post-processing: Subtractive, Additive, and Material Changing.

Support Removal

Unless your print is optimized for supportless 3D printing, you’ll probably be printing with support structures. These are usually easy to snap off, but even well designed supports will leave behind imperfections where they were once attached. To smooth these areas, it is recommended to post-process the entire part by any number of methods outlined below.

With dual extrusion you can print soluble support structures that disintegrate in water and leave no trace on your part. They’re especially useful when post-processing isn’t otherwise necessary.

3D Print Post Processing Support Removal

SUBTRACTIVE

The most common post-processing category, subtractive post-processing is the act of removing material from the part surface to make it more uniform and smoother.

ADDITIVE 

Additive post-processing puts additional material directly onto printed parts. Additive techniques are highly efficient for smoothing parts while adding strength and other mechanical properties.

PROPERTY CHANGING

Neither removing nor adding material, property changing post-processing redistributes molecules of a 3D print. Smoother and stronger parts are achieved with thermal and chemical treatments.

Subtractive Post-Processing Methods

Probably the most common post-processing category, subtractive post-processing is the act of removing some of your part’s material. Usually this is in the form of sanding or polishing a part, but there are a variety of other methods that includes tumbling, milling, abrasive blasting, and chemical abrasive dipping.

Sanding & Polishing

  • DIFFICULTY 
  • SMOOTHNESS  

Both sanding and polishing techniques remove surface layers by rubbing it with an abrasive material. Sanding requires coarser grit sandpaper and sanding tools, while polishing may use finer sandpaper, steel wool, polishing paste, or cloth.

Sanding removes larger blemishes such as support remnants or print irregularities and reduces the visibility of print layers. The sanding process will leave a gritty, although more uniform surface texture, and very course sandpaper will leave surface scratches. Polishing the part after sanding will produce an even smoother surface.

Simplicity and affordability make sanding and polishing the most common methods of post-processing, but both require labor that is time consuming for larger parts and batches. These methods may not be suited for parts with hard to reach cavities.

3d-print-post-processing-sanding-polishing

Tumbling

3D Print Post Processing Tumbling
  • DIFFICULTY 
  • SMOOTHNESS 

A tumbling machine consists of a vibrating vat containing lubricating fluid and abrasive media, which are specialized stones that wear objects down according to their size, shape, and hardness as they tumble together. A 3D printed part is simply placed into the vat of tumbling abrasive media for a specific length of time. Some expertise is required to pair parts with the correct abrasive media and processing time, but when done correctly it is very effective at producing uniform finishes.

Tumbling is a largely automated subtractive method that can post-process multiple parts simultaneously, which is useful for smoothing batches of parts. Tumbling vats come in a range of sizes so larger parts can also be processed. Since the abrasive media is constantly in contact with the part, larger pieces do not require longer processing time, but only larger machines with the adequate amount of abrasive media. However, complex shapes may lose detail and sharp edges may become slightly rounded by tumbling.

Abrasive Blasting (Sand Blasting)

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Abrasive blasting, also known as sand blasting, is subtractive post-processing method where abrasive material is blasted onto 3D printed parts at high pressure. For large parts this can be done in an open environment, but smaller parts are typically processed in a containment chamber that collects and reuses the abrasive material. Like other grit-based subtractive methods, there are a range of grits available and grit must be chosen based on part geometry and desired finish. Sand is a frequently used abrasive material, but other small coarse objects such as plastic beads can be used for different results.

Since the abrasive material is smaller than that of tumbling, abrasive blasting is less effective on very rough parts or high layer heights. This method only treats surfaces reachable by the stream of blasted material, so complex geometries and cavities may not be feasible. Additionally, the blasting tool can only treat limited areas at a given time, so this method may be slower and difficult to process multiple parts simultaneously.

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CNC Machining (Milling)

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CNC milling, also called CNC machining, is the inverse of 3D printing - it uses a computer-programmable drill moving (and sometime rotating) in three axes to carve out geometries. Like 3D printers, the technology uses a “G-Code” to program tool movements, in this case a milling bit rather than a filament extruder.

While CNC machining is considered highly accurate from 0.005” to 0.00005”, it cannot produce certain geometries and wastes material, which is often expensive. Conversely, large-format 3D printing cannot achieve the same accuracy, but can achieve much more complex geometries and wastes very little material.

It is typically not time or cost effective to mill the entire surface of a 3D print and it may be difficult to calibrate the milling tool to the print position. But while these two production methods are seemingly at odds, there are some situations where they may be used together. If a portion of a 3D printed part must be extremely smooth or accurate, that specific area can be milled. Alternately, manufacturers can save material by 3D printing a part in a rough finish before milling it to perfection.

Chemical Dipping

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Chemical dipping, also called aid dipping, is the process of submerging parts in a chemical bath that eats away the surface. The process involves caustic materials, such as lye, sodium hydroxide, or dichloromethan, and should only be done by experts in facilities with the requisite safety features. The appropriate chemical choice is entirely dependent on the material of the 3D print, as the chemical must be abrasive to the print material.

Some expertise is required to determine how long parts should remain submerged: too brief and the part will not be sufficiently smooth, too long and it could be ruined entirely. Some care should be taken to avoid air bubbles trapped inside the 3D print as they will prevent the chemical treatment of the surface. Typically the submerged part is gently moved to agitate the chemical bath and release any air bubbles.

The process is ideal for complex geometries as the chemical bath treats all surfaces of submerged parts simultaneously. However, the size of the chemical dipping container determines the limited part dimensions of treatable prints.

3D Print Post Processing Chemical Dipping Acetone

Additive Post-Processing Methods

Additive post processing puts additional material directly onto printed parts and is highly efficient for smoothing parts while adding strength and other mechanical properties. There is a wide spectrum of methods from filling to priming, coating, metal plating, and more.

Filling

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Filling is a surface treatment that uses a thick adhesive compound, typically a paste, to fill in notches like the tiny gaps between layers of a 3D print. It is commonly used as a first step before sanding or additional additive layers. A wide range of fillers from pastes to sprays are available in many materials from light spackle to 2K resins.

Paste fillers, like wood fillers or household spackle, are usually the most accessible option. They are simply spread over the part surface and can be easily smoothed with light sanding. Spray fillers are easy to apply but provide only a thin surface covering, resulting in a rougher coating. More robust, but more advanced options are resin fillers that must be cured by one of two methods: mixing with a hardener or UV exposure. Resins are available with various viscosity, cure speeds, and advanced features like UV and a high heat deflection temperature. For some UV-cured fillers leaving parts in the sun may be sufficient, but others will require a specialized UV chamber.

When using any kind of resin cover skin, wear gloves, and keep the working space well ventilated. Ensure you’re familiar with the requirements of your filler or coating before applying it to a part as this may drastically change the time or equipment required for post-processing.

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For some UV-cured fillers, leaving parts in the sun may be sufficient but others will require a specialized UV chamber. Ensure you’re familiar with the requirements of your filler or coating before applying it to a part as this may drastically change the time or equipment required for post-processing.

Priming

3D Print Post Processing Priming
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Primers prepare 3D-printed parts for the addition of subsequent layers by pre-treating the surface for better adhesion. They are far less viscous than fillers and may only smooth very small surface imperfections, so their main function is adhesive surface preparation. Primers are available in spray or brush form, but spray primer may produce a more even coating.

To prime a part most effectively, the imperfections and layers notches should first be reduced by other post-processing methods such as sanding or filling. Ensure that your primer is made for plastic adhesion and is suitable for additional materials you intend to apply later. Leave the primer to set for 24 hours or as otherwise directed.

Brush Coating

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Liquid coatings vary widely in material such as paint, varnish, resin, or even plastic. While there are several application methods, brush coating is the simplest way to smooth unique or small batches of 3D printed parts. Although the surface smoothness may be inconsistent due to brush strokes, choosing a material with the proper viscosity can avoid these surface irregularities.

For a robust and smooth surface apply a 2K resin, which is a two-component mixture of resin with a hardener. When combined, the mixture creates an exothermic chemical reaction that cures the resin over a given amount of time. There is a huge range of resin products for a variety of uses: laminating resins for thin surface applications, casting resins for larger volumes, fast and slow curing resins, and resins with additives (like aluminum, for example) for additional performance enhancement such as temperature, UV, or chemical resistance. To achieve the smoothest surface when brush coating, use a resin with an appropriate “self-leveling” viscosity that will even out brush strokes without material dripping off the part. There are resin products specifically formulated for 3D prints that can achieve very smooth surfaces after one coating.

When brushing other materials such as paint or varnish it may be more difficult to avoid brush strokes, but many coatings can be sanded after drying to achieve a smoother surface. It is also possible to apply an additional coating of another material, 2K resin for example, to achieve a smoother final result.

3D Print Post Processing Brush Coating

Spray Coating

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  • DIFFICULTY 
  • SMOOTHNESS 

A wide-ranging and scalable post-processing technique, spray coating a offers a number of viable methods ranging from DIY projects to robotic automation at an industrial scale. Spray coatings are available in a huge variety of materials such as paint, varnish, resin, plastics, and rubbers, just to name a few.

The simple approach for DIY projects is a spray can of a chosen material applied in a ventilated/outdoor space. Since this method typically results in minimal surface smoothing, it is recommended to sand the part first and apply several spray coats. Applying a spray primer may help the spray coating adhere to the part. Spray paint can be used for aesthetic enhancements and spray varnish can protect the surface against chipping, wear, and UV damage.

For large volume or industrial spray coating applications, a robotic arm fitted with a spraying tool head can apply a wide range of coatings to a 3D printed part. The application typically takes place in spray booth with an adequate air filter. This method allows a wider range of materials, including 2K spray coatings, primers, paints, and more, and results in higher application precision and uniformity. A robotic arm will speed up the processing time and make high-volume post-processing feasible at an industrial level.

Spray coating is most suitable for finishing large parts, rather than other additive methods such as dipping, foiling, or powder coating. The later methods all require a machine or vat that can contain the entire part, whereas spray coating is only limited by the size of the room in which it is done.

Foiling

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In foiling, or vinyl wrapping, an adhesive foil made of light metals or plastic is wrapped onto an object, often preceded by priming. Commonly known for wrapping vehicles, vinyl wrapping can also be applied to 3D-printed objects with a suitable material. Depending on the material, the foil may increase heat and stress resistance but is often applied for aesthetic enhancement like smoothing and surface quality.

The difficulty of this post-processing technique varies with the size and complexity of your part. A simple geometry, like the gently curved side panel of a vehicle, is relatively easy to foil, but complex shapes are more difficult with some being impossible to foil.

Wrapping is particularly suitable to apply detailed surface designs to 3D-printed parts. Adhesive foils come in a wide range of colors and patterns, as well as custom-printed designs. Foil can be applied by hand, stretching the material over objects to ensure no imperfections like air bubbles remain. Heat guns are often used in the process to make application easier and avoid imperfections. Vacuum foiling will automate the process for faster, precise results to ensure the material wraps around the part as perfectly as possible.

Foiling is usually not suitable for complex parts as the foil will be extremely difficult to apply uniformly and inside cavities.

3D Print Post Processing Foiling

The difficulty of vinyl wrapping varies with the size and complexity of your part. A smooth surface – like the side paneling of a vehicle – should be reasonably simple to foil but complex shapes will become exponentially more difficult.

Dip Coating

3D Print Post Processing Dipping Coating
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When dip coating, a part is submerged into a vat of material such as paint, resin, rubber, etc. and removed after a specified time, resulting in an even surface distribution. The part can be redipped multiple times for a thicker coating and smoother surface. Dipping can be used for aesthetic finishing and functional enhancement like increased strength and resistance to heat, chemicals, weather, etc.

The typical dipping process is comprised of five stages:

  1. Immersion: The 3D printed part is immersed in a vat of material at a constant speed.
  2. Start-up: The part remains submerged for a specified time for the coating to adhere.
  3. Deposition: The part is removed at a constant rate as a thin layer of the material is deposited.
  4. Drainage: Excess material will drip off of the part surface back into the vat.
  5. Evaporation: As the coating sets the solvent evaporates from the material, leaving a solid film.

Hydro dipping, also known as water transfer printing is a unique method for applying detailed designs onto a 3D print. The part is submerged in a vat of clean water that has a layer of material floating on its surface, typically a water soluble printed film or an oil based paint. As the part passes through the floating layer, the film or paint adheres to the part’s surface. The surface tension of the water ensures that the film curves around any shape. The best results are achieved with parts containing gently curving geometries.

Dip coating is suitable for complex geometries and requires some expertise in the coating material used. The size of the vat determines the dimension of treatable parts. Large prints may not be feasible, although batch processing is possible for smaller parts.

Metal Plating

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Metal plating is a chemical process where a layer of metal is bonded to a 3D printed part. It is a highly effective method to create 3D printed objects with high resistance to heat, impact, weather, and chemicals, or to create conductive parts.

The first step in metal coating plastic parts is "electroless plating" which metalizes the surface of the print, priming it for proper metal plating. This process ranges from special metal paints that are simply brushed or sprayed onto the part to industrial processes involving numerous steps of cleaning, etching, neutralizing, activating, etc. Typically, this first layer is copper or nickel, although silver and gold layers are also possible.

In the second step in metal plating, the metalized 3D print is submerged in a bath for a specific length of time to deposit a wide range of metals like tin, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and even chrome. In electroplating, the part is placed in a galvanic bath that deposits a thin metal layer from 1 - 50 microns thick. Anode and cathode ions pass through the liquid and adhere to parts in microscopically fine layers. Additional metal plating processes can build up the metallic surface thickness or deposit a different metal material.

When using a metal-acid solution, parts are submerged in the liquid solution for a specific duration, depending on the desired plating thickness. A chemical reaction attracts and adheres the metal ions to the surface of the part. Once removed from the bath, the part can receive a protective coating to prevent oxidation, corrosion, or tarnishing. Heat treatments may be used to strengthen the metal layer adhesion and prevent brittleness.

Metal plating typically works well for complex parts and can produce a range of surface qualities, smoothness, and mechanical enhancements. However, the process requires many stages and expertise.

3D Print Post Processing Metal Plating

Powder Coating

3D Print Post Processing Powder Coating
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With powder coating, also known as rotational sintering, a part is heated and rotated within a cloud of powdered plastic. As the powder compound meets the heated part, it is melted to the surface to produce a fine coating. Due to surface tension while spinning, the adhered powder produces a homogeneous, non-porous layer about 400-microns thick. The surface is typically not glossy smooth, but rather has a fine matte texture caused by the plastic cloud particle size, typically 2-50 microns.

Powder coating is a common method for protecting large metal components, but it is difficult to achieve with 3D prints. In traditional powder coating, the metal parts experience temperatures up to 200 °C, but the lower temperature resistance of most 3D printed plastics greatly limits the use of a post-processingsing method. When possible, powder coating is highly efficient for batch production with uniform surfaces, although cavities may be difficult to post-process.

Property Changing Post-Processing Methods

Neither removing nor adding material, property changing post-processing redistributes molecules of a 3D print. Smoother and stronger parts are achieved with thermal and chemical treatments.

Local Melting

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Local melting is an easy way to reduce the appearance of surface scratches from damage, support removal, or abrasive post-processing like sanding. Rough surfaces are particularly visible on dark-colored 3D prints, which appear to be a white-ish color. Using a heat gun set to high heat, quickly pass hot air over the area requiring treatment, keeping the heat gun 10-20 cm away from the part. Within seconds, the surface will melt to resemble the original print surface quality. A heat gun can also remove strings from travel moves during printing. Using the same method as described above will melt and shrink the strings. If the strings are large, small remnants may cling to the part but are often easily removed by brushing or clipping them off.

This method is not suitable for deep scratches as it is only effective for light surface roughness. It also can easily deform the part, so take care to limit the time an area is heated. The best results are achieved by sweeping hot air across the surface for several seconds. Local melting is not recommended for overall surface smoothing, but for the easy and effective smoothing of small defects and scratches.

3D Print Post Processing Local Melting

Annealing

3D Print Post Processing Annealing
  • DIFFICULTY 
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Annealing is the process of heating a print to re-organize its molecular structure, resulting in stronger parts that are less prone to warping.  Untreated 3D prints have an amorphous molecular structure, meaning that the molecules are unorganized and weaker. Being a poor heat conductor, the extruded plastic cools quickly and unevenly during the printing process causing internal stresses, particularly between print layers. These stress points are most prone to breakage.

To strengthen the part at its molecular level, it is heated to its glass transition temperature, but below its melting point. Achieving the glass transition temperature allows the molecules to redistribute into a semi-crystalline structure without melting the part to the point of deforming. Glass transition and melting temperatures vary between materials and some expertise is required to heat parts to the correct temperature for the proper length of time. 3D prints will shrink during the annealing process, which can be corrected by increasing the original printing dimensions accordingly.

Vapor Smoothing

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Vapor smoothing is the chemical process of smoothing 3D prints in which parts are exposed to vaporized solvents in an enclosed chamber. Similarly to chemical dipping, the correct solvent must be used in correspondence with the 3D print material. The cloud of solvent dissolves the surface of the print, while its surface tension redistributes the dissolved material, resulting in a smoother finish. Unlike chemical dipping, no material is actually removed from the part.

Solvents can either be heated to a gaseous state or vaporized by ultrasonic misting. The 3D print is exposed to the vaporized solvents for a specific length of time: too short and the part is not adequately smoothed, too long and the part can deform and become brittle. Most suitable solvents are caustic and combustible, and therefore require extreme levels of caution, adequate chemical containment, and disposal, and should only be handled by qualified persons.

Many vapor smoothing machines are available for use with a variety of solvents suitable for different print materials. These machines make the process automated and much safer, but most can only treat smaller parts due to the chamber's limited dimensions.

3D Print Post Processing Vapor Smoothing

Post-Processing eBook

For real life industrial examples, download our free eBook Post-Processing for FFF Prints and see this webinar about post-processing techniques.

The eBook explores the three types of FFF post-processing techniques: 1) Material Removal, 2) Material Addition and 3) Material Property Change. Also, learn more about how various techniques like high resolution tumbling, resin coating and aluminum plating are transforming 3D printed parts.

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