Introducing Our New Polyamide Finishes: Improved Polished and Satin
We’re happy to announce the launch of two new finishes for Polyamide (SLS): Improved polished and satin!
Polyamide is the perfect material for 3D printing because it’s strong and flexible. Furthermore, it uses SLS technology, which allows the highest degree of freedom when it comes to designing for 3D, making it a good option for creative minds. Polyamide is also our most versatile material for 3D printing regarding colors and finishes: we have up to seven finishes available on our website, including the new improved polished and the satin finish.
Do you want to know more about our new finishes for Polyamide (SLS)? We’ll be answering all your questions below.
A new smoother look and feel for your 3D designs in Polyamide (SLS)
Polished finish – Improved
- What does it look like?
This finish is soft, shinier and smooth to the touch.
- How do we apply it?
To achieve this finish we put your 3D-printed objects into a tumbler with pebbles to smooth the surfaces. We have improved the polished finish with a last touch: a blasting process for the perfect polished surface.
- Which colors are available?
Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Blue, Purple, Black and White.
- Does it take extra time to polish my model?
Polishing adds 2 more days to lead time.
Polished Finish – Polyamide (SLS)
Satin finish
- What does the satin finish look like?
Smooth and uniform.
- How do you apply the satin finish?
The 3D-printed model goes through a blasting process that produces a smooth but satin look to the surface.
- Which colors are available for this finish?
Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Blue, Purple and Black.
- Will it take longer to finish my model in satin?
For a satin finish on your polyamide models, we require 2 extra working days.
Satin Finish – Polyamide (SLS)
Other Polyamide (SLS) finishes for 3D printing
Improved polished and satin are the newest finish we offer for Polyamide (SLS), but we also recently improved some of our previous finishing options.
Dyed finish
- What does it look like?
Colorful! Polyamide is originally white, so we dye it to add color to your object.
The most common process chosen by our customers is for us to dye their 3D-printed objects and then apply a polished or satin finish.
- How do we apply it?
By submerging the model in color pigment. This process is also called impregnating or pigmentation.
- Which colors are available?
Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, Blue, Purple and Black.
- Will it take longer to dye my model?
Dyeing adds 1 extra working day to the production process.
Dyed Finish – Polyamide (SLS)
Velvet finish
- How does it look?
Velvety, of course. This finish covers your model in velvet – soft and fluffy.
- How do we apply it?
The process for this finish is called flocking. We apply an adhesive to the surface of your model and then we apply flock to create texture. The final step involves applying an electrostatic shock to ensure that all fibers are standing at the right angle.
- Which colors are available?
Yellow, Ochre, Bordeaux, Pink, Green, Blue, Petrol Blue and Black.
- Will it take longer to order a velvet finish for my model?
As the process is fairly complex, this finish requires 5 extra working days.
Velvet Finish – Polyamide (SLS)
Waterproof finish
- What does it look like?
Natural and unpolished.
- How do we apply it?
To make the models water-repellent, we apply an aqueous solution that fills small pores and closes the outer surface of your model.
- Which colors are available for the waterproof finish?
White.
- Will it take longer to waterproof my model?
The waterproof finish requires 2 extra working days.
Waterproof Finish – Duckuin by Bert De Niel
What is the best finish for your polyamide 3D print?
As with all materials or technologies, there is no one-size-fits-all finishing process for your prints. First of all, you need to be sure about the purpose of your 3D-printed object. Moreover, understanding the different finishes will be useful when deciding which one can meet your needs.
Leaving your model natural, without any finish or color, is also possible. We can also spray paint polyamide 3D models in black or white. If you just need a prototype, this will be the easiest and fastest finish for you.
But considering all our beautiful finishes for 3D printing, why would anyone restrict themselves to a natural finish? We can’t wait to see what you try out!
Learn more about Polyamide (SLS)
To discover the magic behind these stunning prints in polyamide, learn about how printing in polyamide really works and get to know this 3D printing technology even better.
Once you have decided which finish is perfect for your model, you can easily upload it to our platform and choose an option among all the polyamide (SLS) finishes, including the new satin finish!
We have more plans for Polyamide (SLS) up our sleeve. Stay tuned for updates soon!
