3D Printing Finishing Services

Depending on your application’s requirements, we offer a range of finish levels for your prototype or production parts:

Level 0 Finish = Support removal only (Strip ’N’ Ship)
Level 1 Finish = Support removal and light sand of support surface
Level 2 Finish = Level 1 Finish plus light sanding and bead blast
Level 3 Finish = Level 2 finish plus sanding for smooth finish
Level 4 Finish = Level 3 finish plus exterior build lines removed and primer
Level 5 Finish = Level 4 finish plus paint (Painted Finish)
Mold Ready Finish = Level 4 finish with all build lines removed (interior and exterior) for urethane casting or metal casting process

We also offer special clear finishes for processes like SLA’s SL7870 ClearVue material:

Quick Clear Finish = Level 1 Finish with clear paint coat
Level 3 Clear Finish = Level 3 Finish (smooth finish) with clear paint coat
Supreme Clear Finish = Level 5 Finish without fillers or primer and with clear coat paint with buffed finish (Best Show Quality Finish)

At TTH, we have the additive manufacturing processes (e.g., Carbon DLS, selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modeling (FDM), HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)) and materials to produce parts with custom finishes that are closer to production-ready.

Ready to Get Started?

From design to prototype and production, our team of engineers is ready to help bring your idea to life with 3D printing.

Production Finishes

Depending on your application’s requirements, we also offer a range of different finishes and coatings for additive manufacturing production parts in addition to the prototype finishes.

Plastic:

Vacuum Metalizing for metallic-like finishes, like chrome
Plating for metallic finishes with nickel, chrome, copper, gold and more
Painting custom colors with our in-house Sherwin Williams color match system
Anti-static nickel coatings
Soft-touch coatings to simulate over-mold grips
Vapor polishing (or vapor smoothing)
Dyeing
Tumbling
Bead Blasted
3D Printed textures
Painted finishes: Textured, Matte, Gloss
Part decorations (including labeling, silk screening and pad printing)

These are some of our standard finishes and specifications that we come across. Please reach out to our project management team if you have a specific need or requirement.

3D printed prototype with painted custom finish

What Our Partners Are Saying

I have partnered closely with TTH for over a year, and working with them has been a wonderful experience. Their entire team is always pleasant to work with, their project managers are incredibly knowledgeable, and their attention to quality and timeliness is best in class. I simply cannot recommend them highly enough for any project big or small.

- Jordan G., Additive Manufacturing Professional

Most of my 30 year career has been spent finding vendors that meet my Cost, Service, and Quality requirements. The number of suppliers that can meet those criteria for a sustainable period of time are few. TTH is one of those companies. The management team at TTH is always willing to work with us to improve efficiency and offer solutions that exceed our expectations. If you are looking for a partner, not just a supplier, the team at TTH will not disappoint.

- Tom C., NPI Materials Leader

Design Without Restriction

See how we partnered with Vitamix and Carbon to redefine what's possible. We took a legacy, six-piece, injection-molded part design and turned it into a new, one-piece, 3D-printed part.

We'd Love to Hear from You

Our experts have a proven history of providing innovative solutions at every stage of product development—from product design through production.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What 3D printing finishing services does The Technology House offer?
A: The Technology House (TTH) provides a range of 3D printing finishing services, including sanding, smoothing, surface polishing, and other post‑processing techniques. These additive manufacturing finishing services help improve surface quality, remove layer lines, and make printed parts ready for presentation or end‑use.

Q: Why is finishing important for 3D printed parts?
A: Finishing 3D printed parts enhances appearance, improves fit and functionality, and prepares parts for painting or assembly. Without proper finishing, surface texture from the printing process may affect performance or aesthetics — especially for prototypes or customer‑facing components.

Q: What techniques are used to smooth 3D prints and refine surfaces?
A: TTH uses expert sanding, smoothing, and other custom finishing methods to refine the surfaces of 3D printed parts. These techniques can reduce visible print lines, create consistent surface texture, and prepare parts for secondary processes like coating or plating.

Q: Can custom finishes help improve the function of additive manufacturing parts?
A: Yes. Custom finishing can improve part performance by removing rough edges, enhancing tolerances, and creating smoother surfaces. This is especially useful for parts that will be assembled, fit‑checked, or used in functional testing as part of the product development cycle.

Get Your Product to Market

Our integrated approach to design, prototyping, and production allows you to bring your concept to market faster and more cost-effectively than virtually anyone else.

3D Printed Parts & Prototype Finishes