Support removal and surface finishing are very important final steps to completing the perfect part. These final steps come with variables that could damage your print if not handled properly. One type of surface finishing is Suspended Rotational Force (SRF) which brings hands-free and reliable surface finishing that eliminates the variables that could lead to damaged parts. Let’s dive into this surface finishing technology and how it will make a difference in finishing your parts.
Traditional Steps for Support Removal and Surface Finishing
Support material is crucial to ensure your part 3D prints correctly. Without it, your part would form into an unrecognizable pile of material. The technology and materials used to print a part influence which support removal and finishing processes should be chosen for a specific project. Here are some traditional steps for finishing a part:
- Determine the type of removal. Choose which process is needed based on the support material used during printing: soluble, breakaway, pressure washing or chemical dissolve.
- Remove the support. This process can be very manual and time-consuming depending on the part geometry and materials used.
- Finish the surface. Determine if the part needs additional work after the support is removed to make the surface smooth. This will vary based on materials and desired finished look.
>> Learn more with our FAQ: Best Practices for Post-Processing FDM Parts blog article
Suspended Rotational Force (SRF)
Suspended Rotational Force is a technology used for surface finishing. There are two main components of SRF that make it stand out compared to other mass finishing technologies, the proprietary detergents and the proprietary abrasive media. SRF technology is exclusive to PostProcessing Technologies.
Proprietary Detergents
The most surprising aspect of these detergents is the lack of use of chemicals. This detergent was designed to optimize mechanical, abrasive energy from the media. The combination of circulation with media and washing away the broken down part material leads to consistent results throughout the batch. This detergent allows you to process a variety of materials in one batch.
Proprietary Abrasive Media
This media is the main work-horse of the SRF technology. The PostProcess development engineers have performed extended testing with a variety of materials, shapes and sizes of abrasive media to pinpoint the best combination for additive manufacturing.
Benefits of SRF
SRF brings a new level of efficiency and accuracy to post-processing your parts. Regardless of the geometry or material, you can ensure your part will come out as intended without risk of damage during this late step.
Here are some of the benefits of SRF:
- Unparalleled consistency
- Hands-free surface finishing
- Increased throughput
- Greater productivity
Suspended Rotational Force is ideal for ensuring that the surface finish of your part is exactly how you intended, as well as repeatable. This technology is used in PostProcess’ RADOR machine that can finish surfaces from FDM, PolyJet, SLA, SLS, MJF and CLIP materials. It adjusts in real-time to ensure the parts are not damaged and the removal is consistent.
Learn more about the PostProcess RADOR to make your final step in production go from overwhelming to automated.
