Case study 01 / 06
- Customer
Norden
- Part
- Production machinery
- Process
- HP MJF → vapor smoothed
- Result
- A single part with internal vacuum channels replaced a multi-component, machined assembly
- Date
- 20
The originals of automated vapor smoothing1 · core patent filed Jan 2017
Automated surface finishing
for 3D printed parts.
PostPro vapor smoothing seals and smooths powder-bed 3D prints, inside and out, in one automated cycle: 1.5–2 h on an SF100.2
No cost to evaluate · Parts returned · Typical turnaround 2–3 weeks3
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- 900+4 PostPro systems installed in 40 countries · all product lines
- AI-powered process + service Built on 10M+5 process data points
Inside the SF100 · from AMT CAD
Open it up.
Here is the PostPro SF100, taken apart along AMT's own engineering CAD.
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01 / 03
Built for production.
Designed and built for production environments and high-volume throughput.2 Inside, one front-loading process chamber6 of 400 × 600 × 400 mm.
- Outer covers
- Service doors
- Process chamber
- Door and lift
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02 / 03
Vapor in. Consumable back.
On-board vapor generation, then consumable recovery and drying, all inside one closed-loop system.2
- Vapor generation
- Recovery and condenser
- Vacuum system
- Fluid handling
- Consumable drawer
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03 / 03
Controlled end to end.
HMI touchscreen, RFID-controlled access and MES/ERP connectivity,6 from an integrated electrical cabinet.
- HMI
- Electrical cabinet
The transformation
It goes in as a print. It comes out as a product.
The same printed manifold, before and after a PostPro vapor cycle. Rendered from our chamber footage; the real clip is one click away.
Watch the real footage (MP4, 0:11)
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Sealed surface, closed pores.
Vapor reduces surface porosity, for a finish comparable to injection-molded parts.7
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Reaches the hard-to-reach.
The chamber runs under vacuum, so vapor travels freely, condenses in recesses and intricate features, and smooths them evenly.2
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Cured and dried in the same cycle.
The consumable is removed from the surface, then the part is dried and ready for use.2
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RenderFlange surface as printed (open powder grain) and after vapor smoothing (sealed). -
RenderRunner surface before and after vapor smoothing: the grain closes into a continuous skin.
Photographed, not rendered.
Parts as printed and after PostPro vapor smoothing, photographed and aligned for comparison.
Saddle
Helmet
Evidence
Measured, dated, published.
Every result below names the material it was measured on and cites the published test behind it, with the date it came out.
A square marks a result published before October 2024.
| Measured | Result | Material | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface roughness | 13.42 → 1.18 µm As printed, then after vapor smoothing. | BASF Ultrasint TPU01 · HP MJF | , published before October 2024AMT whitepaper: Ultrasint TPU018 |
| Strength · accuracy | Elongation at break +38.1% (XY) Dimensional change ≤ 0.4% | PA12 · voxeljet HSS | , published before October 2024AMT whitepaper: HSS PA129 |
| Sealing · accuracy | Burst pressure up to +7% Dimensional change ≤ 0.4% | PA2200 · SLS | , published before October 2024AMT whitepaper: SLS PA220010 |
| Food contact · cytotoxicity | See PostPro Pure Both were tested on parts finished with PostPro Pure, so the results are listed with it. | ||
| Patented process | Patents include EP3565712 · GB2582225 · GB2597240B | AMT brochure: PostPro systems6 | |
Note Results depend on material, printer and recipe.
Want numbers for your part? Send it to us.
No cost to evaluate · Parts returned · Typical turnaround 2–3 weeks3
Chemistry you can put in a technical file.
PostPro Pure is the finishing agent behind PostPro vapor smoothing, and the machine recovers it in a closed loop.2,11 Readily biodegradable (OECD 301 B). Like any solvent it is combustible, and it carries hazard labels: a skin and eye irritant (H315, H319). Handle it per the Safety Data Sheet.12,1320242023
- Food contact Parts printed in FABULOUS DETECT PA11 and finished with PostPro Pure were tested by an accredited independent lab to US FDA 21 CFR §177.1500. Extractables were well within regulatory limits. 14
- Cytotoxicity HP 3D HR PA 12 parts printed on HP MJF and finished with PostPro Pure showed no cytotoxic effects and no loss of strength. 15
- Range FA326 for 100+ thermoplastics on SF50 and SF100. FA9202 for polypropylene. 11
The range
One process. Four sizes.
All four run the same automated cycle: conditioning, processing, curing and drying.2 Choose the chamber that fits your builds, from a desktop unit for R&D to a cabinet for high-volume production.
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PostPro SFX
Desktop · R&D and low-volume production
- Chamber W × D × H
- 190 × 320 × 190 mm
- Cycle
- 2 h2
- List price
- from $23,100
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PostPro SF2X
Desktop · scalable throughput, double the SFX chamber capacity
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PostPro SF50
Floor-standing · low-volume production of end-use parts
- Chamber W × D × H
- 400 × 300 × 400 mm
- Cycle
- 1.5–2 h2
- List price
- from $89,390
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PostPro SF100
Floor-standing · high-volume production
- Chamber W × D × H
- 400 × 600 × 400 mm
- Cycle
- 1.5–2 h2
- List price
- from $155,050
AMT list prices, excluding tax and shipping; confirmed in your formal quote. See all prices
Not sure which size? Send us a part. We’ll smooth it on the system that fits and send it back with a report.
Compare the SF range
PostPro vapor smoothing systems: published specifications
| Specification | SFX | SF2X | SF50 | SF100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sized for2,6 | Desktop · R&D and low-volume production | Desktop · scalable throughput, double the SFX chamber capacity | Floor-standing · low-volume production of end-use parts | Floor-standing · high-volume production |
| Chamber W × D × H2,16 | 190 × 320 × 190 mm | 260 × 390 × 260 mm | 400 × 300 × 400 mm | 400 × 600 × 400 mm |
| Cycle2 | 2 h | 2 h | 1.5–2 h | 1.5–2 h |
| External W × D × H6 | 450 × 500 × 845 mm | See product page | 830 × 1400 × 1830 mm | 830 × 1400 × 1830 mm |
| Materials2,11 | PA12 · PA11 · TPU · PP with FA9202 | PA12 · PA11 · TPU | PA12 · PA11 · TPU · TPE · PP with FA9202 | PA12 · PA11 · TPU · TPE · PP with FA9202 |
| Finishing agents2,11 | PostPro Pure · FA9202 | PostPro Pure | PostPro Pure · FA326 · FA9202 | PostPro Pure · FA326 · FA9202 |
| Product page | SFX | SF2X | SF50 | SF100 |
Software & AI
Intelligent by design.
Powered by a decade of processing parts and more than 10 million process data points, AMT has developed its own proprietary algorithms and post-trained models that power our fleet of SF machines.5
The fleet behind the data.
Each dot is a city where PostPro vapor smoothing systems run today. The full map, with systems by country, is on the software page.
Explore the fleet map
Automate · SF100
Load. Smooth. Unload. Repeat.
DMS, AMT’s Digital Manufacturing System, loads and unloads PostPro SF100 systems automatically. It recognizes each tray, selects the recipe for the batch and keeps production running unattended.17
Where it started
From a Sheffield lab to 40 countries.
Born from University of Sheffield research18. AMT engineered the machines that automate it, patented the process, and has been refining it on production floors ever since.
What’s next
SF Gen 3 Coming soon
The next chapter of vapor smoothing.
To hear first, contact AMT.
Want to see your feature included?
Or post it in the communityPricing
See the price. Run the numbers.
List prices for every system, with the machine and its ancillaries pack itemized. No form to fill in first.
AMT list prices · indicative · confirmed in your formal quote. Excluding tax and shipping. Installation, training and care plans are priced in your formal quote. PostPro SF2X: from $32,620, the Starter Bundle.
What would it cost per part?
Compare PostPro with manual finishing on your own parts, volumes and labor rate: cost per part, payback and hours freed. An estimate from your inputs, with every assumption shown.
In production
Parts that ship.
From production machinery to hand prostheses to rally cars, PostPro vapor-smoothed parts are in service, not on a shelf.
PostPro in service
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PHOTOVacuum pick-and-place part -
Case study 02 / 06
PHOTOProsthesis under running water - Customer
Point Designs
- Part
- Partial hand prostheses
- Process
- HP MJF → PostPro SFX
- Result
- Smooth, sealed surfaces that improve comfort and hygiene
- Date
- 21
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Case study 03 / 06
PHOTORally car on a desert stage - Customer
ABConcept
- Part
- Rally car parts
- Process
- HP MJF PA12 → vapor smoothed
- Result
- 100+ parts through 2,450+ km of the Rallye du Maroc
- Date
- 22
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Case study 04 / 06
PHOTOHydrogen UAV in flight - Customer
Intelligent Energy × Graphite AM
- Part
- Hydrogen UAV casings
- Process
- PostPro SF100
- Result
- Surface sealing, durability and resistance to environmental exposure
- Date
- 23
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Case study 05 / 06
PHOTOProtolabs production floor - Customer
Protolabs
- Part
- Flame-retardant automotive parts
- Process
- HP MJF, HP 3D HR PA 12 FR → vapor smoothed
- Result
- Flame-retardant parts with improved surface quality and UL94 V-0 compliance
- Date
- 7
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Case study 06 / 06
- Customer
GM, with GKN Additive (Forecast 3D), BASF Forward AM and HP
- Part
- Spoiler closeout seals
- Process
- HP MJF, BASF Ultrasint TPU01 → vapor smoothed
- Result
- 60,000 parts, needed quickly to avoid delaying 30,000 vehicles
- Date
- , published before October 202424
Vapor smoothing is well received at our customers because of surface quality and benefits like enhanced strength, easier cleaning and no effect on detail resolution or dimensional accuracy, and the process runs several times a day contributing to our success.
AMT's vapor smoothing machine has not only elevated the visual appeal of our products but also enhanced their functional properties. By selectively controlling the smoothing process, we can tailor surface characteristics such as gloss, friction, and sealing behavior.
Who runs PostPro
In production · on film
See it running.
3D Printed Drone | EOS SLS + Vapor Smoothing for Production-Ready UAV
Drone parts printed on EOS SLS and vapor smoothed on a PostPro SF100 by Avid Product Development: sealed against the elements, easier to clean, closer to an injection-molded finish.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.
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How General Motors Scaled 3D Printing with Vapor Smoothing | AMT PostPro Case Study
General Motors' spoiler closeout seals: HP MJF parts in TPU, vapor smoothed on a PostPro SF100 to seal them and give them rubber-like properties.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab) -
How SGD 3D Scaled Production with Vapor Smoothing | PostPro SFX in Action
SGD 3D, a 3D printing service in Nottingham, on adding vapor smoothing with the PostPro SFX: smoother, watertight SLS parts for its customers.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab) -
Improving Pick & Place Tube Filling Automation with HP MJF and PostPro Vapor Smoothing
Norden Machinery's pick-and-place fingers for tube filling: HP MJF parts with internal vacuum channels, vapor smoothed with PostPro Pure for a glossy, scratch-free, easy-to-clean finish.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.
Beyond 3D printing
Vapor polishing for machined plastics.
Vapor polishing takes out tool marks and brings back clarity on CNC-machined plastic parts. AMT does it on the PostPro SF100 with PostPro Pure29.
Materials
Polycarbonate (PC), acrylic (PMMA), ABS, polysulfone (PSU), PEI (ULTEM™) and nylon (PA)
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Straight answers, with the source for every number.
What is vapor smoothing?
Vapor smoothing finishes 3D printed polymer parts with a vaporized consumable in a closed chamber. It seals and smooths the surface, inside and out, in one automated cycle: conditioning, processing, curing and drying.2
Who invented automated vapor smoothing for 3D printed parts?
The first automated vapor smoothing system for powder-bed 3D printed parts1 was PostPro3D, launched by AMT in 2018. AMT was founded in Sheffield in January 2017 on University of Sheffield research and filed its core vapor smoothing patent in 2017. Solvent smoothing of plastics in general is older than AMT.
Which 3D printing technologies and materials can be vapor smoothed?
Does vapor smoothing change part dimensions?
What is the difference between the SF50 and the SF100?
They are the same machine with two chamber sizes: 400 × 300 × 400 mm on the SF50 and 400 × 600 × 400 mm on the SF100 (W × D × H), both with a 1.5–2 h cycle.2 The SF50 suits low-volume production of end-use parts, the SF100 high-volume production.
What powers the PostPro SF software?
Powered by a decade of processing parts and more than 10 million process data points, AMT has developed its own proprietary algorithms and post-trained models that power our fleet of SF machines.5 On the machine, that means recipe recommendations, automated service flags, guided diagnostics and remote support.
How much does a PostPro system cost?
List prices start at $23,100 for the PostPro SFX, $32,620 for the SF2X, $89,390 for the SF50 and $155,050 for the SF100, from AMT’s price list, excluding tax and shipping. Build an itemized quote
Can I test my parts before buying?
Yes. Send us your parts: we vapor smooth them and send them back with before-and-after photos and a benchmark report. No cost to evaluate · Parts returned · Typical turnaround 2–3 weeks.3
Free benchmark
Send us a part. We’ll send it back vapor smoothed.
The fastest way to judge a surface is to hold it. Submit your parts online and ship them with a prepaid label. Our technicians vapor smooth them on the right PostPro system for the job, then send them back with before-and-after photos and a full benchmark report.
No cost to evaluate · Parts returned · Typical turnaround 2–3 weeks3
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01Your parts arrive, as printed
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02Hung on the rack
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03Into the smoothing chamber
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04Back to you, vapor smoothed
