Can I Polish or Sand My 3D Printed Model?

YES

  • ABS: You can sand ABS by using sandpaper. Please don’t use a sander for polishing because this will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • Alumide: You can sand alumide by using sandpaper. Please don’t use a sander for polishing because this will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • Aluminum: You can polish your model manually by using a rotary tool like a Dremel. Depending on the reachable surfaces, not everything of your 3D printed model can be polished.

  • Gray resin: You can sand gray resin by using sandpaper or smoothen it by using a fiberglass eraser. Please don’t use a sander because it will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • High-detail resin: You can sand high-detail resin by using sandpaper or smoothen it by using a fiberglass eraser. Please don’t use a sander because it will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • Mammoth resin: You can sand mammoth resin by using sandpaper or smoothen it by using a fiberglass eraser. Please don’t use a sander because it will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • Polyamide (SLS): When you order a polished model, your model undergoes a special finishing process called mechanical smoothing. A tumbler with small "rocks" smooths your model while it vibrates at a high frequency. You can also order the unpolished material and sand it by using sandpaper. However, it will never be as smooth as when ordering a polished model. Please don’t use a sander because it will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • Standard resin: You can sand standard resin by using sandpaper or smoothen it by using a fiberglass eraser. Please don’t use a sander because it will generate heat and might deform your model.

  • Titanium: You can polish your model manually by using a rotary tool like a Dremel. Depending on the reachable surfaces, not everything of your 3D printed model can be polished.

NO

  • Brass: We don’t recommend polishing a brass model because it will remove the PU coating. This is a transparent coating that protects your 3D print from scratches and oxidation.

  • Bronze: We don’t recommend polishing a bronze model (unless you ordered the Natural Uncoated version) because it will remove the PU coating. This is a transparent coating that protects your 3D print from scratches and oxidation.

  • Copper: Although we polish copper magnetically and by hand, the material is very sensitive to oxidation. This means that a greenish verdigris or tarnish will start to become visible when the model begins to corrode. This corrosion can occur at any moment and is not at all indicative of the quality of the material. In fact, corrosion can already occur directly after the production of your model. For this reason, we cannot guarantee that your 3D-printed model will arrive unstained at your doorstep.

  • Gold: When you order a model in gold, it is already polished.

  • Multicolor+: We don’t recommend polishing or sanding a Multicolor+ model because the colors will fade.

  • Rubber-like: Due to its elasticity, this material is impossible to sand or polish.

  • Silver: When you order a model in silver, it’s already polished (independent of which finish you choose). However, a model in a gloss finish can additionally still be polished.

  • Steel: We don’t recommend polishing Steel models.

  • Transparent resin: We don’t recommend sanding a transparent resin model because it will remove the transparent varnish and influence the model’s transparency of the model.

Was this article helpful?

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Our team of Support Engineers is here for you.

Contact Support