Some Investigations Regarding the Surface Treatment of Ultem 9085 Parts Manufactured with Fused Deposition Modeling

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) parts are typically subject to process-related rough or wavy surfaces, with stair-stepping effects whenever the parts produced have sloped or rounded part geometries; however, the level of optical quality frequently required demands that parts feature a smooth surface. In this paper, the results of a high-energy finishing process, which uses a disc finishing unit and is designed for parts manufactured with the material Ultem*9085, are presented. The analysis discusses the surface-smoothing effect of various finishing materials with varying geometries, as well as the effect of finishing time and speed. Additionally, the efficiency of the surface treatment has been analyzed specifically at corners, edges and in cavities.