---
title: "Does Vapor Smoothing Change Part Dimensions? | AMT PostPro"
description: "How much vapor smoothing changes part size: two AMT whitepapers measured 0.4% or less. What that means for fits, and how to check your own parts."
canonical: https://amtechnologies.com/community/guides/dimensional-change/
updated: 2026-10-06
type: guide
---
Community guide Tips & tricks / Design for vapor smoothing

# Will vapor smoothing change my part’s dimensions?

A little, and AMT has measured how much.

- By AMT Team
- FAQ
- 1 min read
- Updated Oct 2026
- Sources[1,2]

Two AMT whitepapers report dimensional change after PostPro vapor smoothing:

| Study | Material and process | Measured change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vapor smoothing voxeljet’s HSS PA12 (Feb 2024) | PA12, High Speed Sintering | 0.39 mm (0.4%) |
| Performance improvements of vapor smoothed SLS PA2200 parts (Jan 2024) | PA2200, SLS | maximum 0.4% |

So in both studies the change stayed at or below 0.4%.

## What that means for your design

- **Most features will not notice.** For cosmetic and general-purpose parts, smoothing is not usually a design driver.
- **Tight fits will.** Press-fits, snap-fits, bearing seats and sealing faces are where a fraction of a millimeter matters. See [Press-fits, snap-fits and assemblies after smoothing](https://amtechnologies.com/community/guides/press-fits-and-assemblies/).
- **Measure on your parts.** The figures above are for specific materials, printers and test geometries. Your geometry, material and recipe will give their own numbers.

## How to check

Measure the same features before and after smoothing, on the same instrument, on a handful of parts. If you are evaluating vapor smoothing, ask for the features that matter to you to be measured as part of a [benchmark](https://benchmarking.amtechnologies.com/submit?utm_source=amtechnologies.com&utm_medium=community-page&utm_campaign=site-2026&utm_content=dimensional-change-guide).

Forum · Over to you

Have you measured dimensional change on your parts? Share the material, the feature type and what you found.

[Answer in the forum thread (opens the community forum in a new tab)](https://amtpostpro.discourse.group/t/will-vapor-smoothing-change-my-parts-dimensions/43)

Next step

## See the price. Run the numbers. Hold the part.

List prices are public and the cost-per-part math is yours to check, with no email needed for either. The free benchmark puts your own parts, vapor smoothed, in your hands.

1. 01 Quote

   ### Build your quote

   Pick a system and its options and get an itemized total on screen, from AMT’s published list prices.

   [Build your quote](https://amtechnologies.com/quote/)
2. 02 ROI

   ### Calculate your ROI

   Compare your cost per part with manual finishing, using your own labor rate and volumes. Every assumption is editable.

   [Calculate ROI](https://amtechnologies.com/roi/)
3. 03 Benchmark

   ### Test your parts, free

   Ship us your parts with a prepaid label. We vapor smooth them and send them back with before-and-after photos and a benchmark report.

   [Test your parts, free](https://benchmarking.amtechnologies.com/submit?utm_source=amtechnologies.com&utm_medium=community-page&utm_campaign=site-2026&utm_content=dimensional-change-decision)

   No cost to evaluate · Parts returned · Typical turnaround 2–3 weeks[3]

Prices: AMT list prices, excluding tax and shipping; confirmed in your formal quote.

[Not sure which system? Help me choose](https://amtechnologies.com/configurator/)

## Sources

1. [Vapor smoothing voxeljet's HSS PA12 with AMT PostPro (whitepaper)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/whitepapers/vapor-smoothing-voxeljets-hss-pa12-with-amt-postpro/) · AMT · Feb 6, 2024
2. [Performance improvements of vapor smoothed SLS PA2200 parts (whitepaper)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/whitepapers/performance-improvements-of-vapour-smoothed-sls-pa2200-parts/) · AMT · Jan 8, 2024
3. [PostPro benchmarking: send us your 3D printed parts](https://benchmarking.amtechnologies.com/) · AMT · read Oct 6, 2026