Surface Finishing of Additive Manufactured Metal Parts
Metal parts that have been produced through additive manufacturing tend to have a textured surface with an average Roughness (Ra) of approximately 30 microns. The values of Ra may increase at support locations and may decrease depending on the geometry profile.
ActOn HE technology has significantly reduced processing times of AM parts in comparison with traditional methods. Also it offers consistent and repeatable results. From reducing surface roughness, to deburring and polishing these are just a few of the applications that can be achieved via the centrifugal high energy finishing process.
The aim of this project was to smooth the surface and achieve a bright polished finish on a Stainless Steel 3D printed lizard. We achieved this with our three-stage process, using the ActOn Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine, which combines grinding, smoothing and polishing. The total process time took approx. 6 hours which was less than what the customer expected. The process delivered a superior bright polished finish while the dimensional integrity of the part was maintained.