Skip to main content

Sanding or vapour smoothing your print lines, is so... 2016.

Those in the know are switching from sanding and dangerous acetone smoothing, to a much smarter solution for smoothing 3d printed striations or "print lines" and visible part joins. 3D formulations Proto-fill easily and safely makes, print lines and joints, disappear.



Let's face it. Sanding and vapour smoothing are "subtractive" methods which are in contrast to the very principle of "additive" manufacturing. Once you begin sanding, the dimensions and integrity of your print is compromised. Sand too much, and there is no going back. Sanding your plastic parts, may also alter the colour and appearance of the surface, for instance, giving a black plastic a dark grey (scratched) appearance. Apart from the obviously extremely dangerous practice of vapour smoothing with acetone, the procedure is difficult to control and results are permanent. Proto-fill is a safer, water-based, non- hazardous and non-flammable product. You no longer need a dedicated post-processing area.



Brushing on, one to two light coats, is all that is required to disguise or fill fine print lines. More coats can be applied to fill deeper grooves. A small roller can be used on larger or flat surfaces. The high resin content of Proto-fill smoothly self-levels like liquid plastic. One touch-dry the coating is, easily further smoothed and shaped with a clean cloth or soft paintbrush, dipped in methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol; very handy when dealing with curved surfaces and complex shapes, such as our "thinking person statue" project. Runs or excess coating is easily re-distributed. The coating may be sanded if desired, but sanding will not necessarily achieve the smoothness of the cloth smoothing method.


Once properly cured, the product forms a tough and durable film on ridged surfaces, yet remains com¬ pletely flexible; perfect for use on projects printed with flexible filament. The strong film will enhance the strength and durability of your project. Once dry, the coating is water-proof, chemical, and U.V. resistant.

Proto-Fill is just one the many post-processing products from 3D Formulations. Other products available include Proto-Colour, Poly-Clean and Poly-Clear. All come in a starter pack. Order these revolutionary products and be on your way to a quicker, smarter and safer project. Learn more >>

Popular posts from this blog

Delivering High Quantities of Prototypes Fast

Objective3D Direct Manufacturing produces parts using a range of additive and conventional manufacturing technologies. We offer tailored solutions for your project’s needs. If your project requires larger quantities of small parts – fast, Laser Sintering is the best technological solution for you. Per-part pricing is reduced as quantities increase, but there are more advantages to using Laser Sintering for small prototypes than price alone. Laser Sintering (LS) provides strong, versatile and geometrically intricate components made from filled and un-filled nylon materials that are ideal for fit and form verification and functional testing. Prototypes made with LS are created quickly and offer robust solutions for your project. FAST Delivery Laser Sintering can provide sturdy, functional prototypes as little as 24 hours. Multi-component designs can be incorporated into single structures, allowing engineers to produce complex features and geometries in one print, and elim

How Artec Space Spider helps measure the shape-shifting of birds in response to climate change.

Challenge:  In the past century, researchers have been studying a variety of birds in Australia to see how their bodies have changed as a result of global warming in order to determine how to adjust. In order to document the exact dimensions of thousands of beaks of 86 different species of birds in museums in a fast, accurate, and convenient manner, they needed a fast, accurate, and convenient method. Solution: Artec Space Spider, Artec Studio Results: By using the handheld 3D scanner Artec Space Spider, each bird can be scanned in submillimeter colour 3D in approximately two minutes. This makes it easy to scan anywhere from 30-50 birds in one museum visit. Scan processing takes just under six minutes for each bird. PhD candidate Sara Ryding 3D scanning an Australian galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) with Artec Space Spider (image credit: Sara Ryding) One of the most startling impacts of global warming has taken place for decades now: multiple species of birds around the world have been

3D scanning and reverse engineering streamline original furniture design and production

MU Form Furniture Design is an Oakland-based company that designs, manufactures and distributes furniture products for the modern home and business. The company is never short of orders since good and original design is sought after by architects and interior designers. The main material MU Form works with is high-quality bent ply, which is one of the most widely used materials in this industry due to its ability to create a variety of shapes for chairs, stools, and tables. The company’s specialists seek to create great designs that pose a challenge for other manufacturers to copy or replicate. The V Dining Chair in red and grey, designed by MU Form’s Po Shun Leong. “Our designers are tasked to develop furniture designs that require a significant amount of trial and error by developing physical prototypes of chairs and stools,” says Mark Leong, CEO of MU Form. To produce a new original piece of furniture, MU Form would normally ship a physical prototype model to a factory