Post-processing

Abstract

All Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies require post-processing to produce parts that are ready for use. This post-processing can range from support material removal, to surface quality improvement, to colouring and painting, and to aging for polymer parts and heat-treatment for metal parts. Throughout the AM industry there is a vast amount of tacit knowledge in the area of post-processing but there, currently, exists very little documentation on the various post-processing methods for different AM technologies and materials. This leads to time being wasted by companies having to individually learn and develop post-processing methods. This chapter aims to correct this.