---
title: "Vapor Smoothing for Industrial Parts | AMT PostPro"
description: "Pick-and-place fingers, chutes, pump parts and UAV casings: sealed, smooth vapor-smoothed 3D printed parts for production machinery. Case studies inside."
canonical: https://amtechnologies.com/industries/industrial/
updated: 2026-10-09
type: application
---
![Gray 3D-printed manifold with flanged ports on a dark background](https://amtechnologies.com/img/industries/hero-industrial-d-640.webp)

Applications · Industrial

# Machine parts that stay sealed and clean.

Vapor smoothing turns rough, porous 3D printed nylon into sealed, smooth parts that can work inside production machinery.[1] Norden, Blue-White Industries and Intelligent Energy use it on pick-and-place parts, chutes, pump parts and drone casings.

[Test your parts, free](https://amtechnologies.com/test-your-parts/) See the case studies

Key applications

## Where industrial parts are vapor smoothed.

- ### [Pick-and-place fingers](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/vapor-smoothing-for-production-machinery/)

  One printed part with internal vacuum channels replaces a machined assembly.[1]
- ### [Waste chutes](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-production-machinery-components/)

  A printed PA12 chute with lower internal friction for better waste flow.
- ### [Pump parts](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/blue-white-industries-decrease-costs-by-86-with-amt-postpro-systems/)

  Finished printed parts for metering pumps and flowmeters, without building molds.
- ### [UAV components](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-uav-components/)

  Thin-walled casings for hydrogen-powered drones, with selected parts vapor smoothed.
- ### [Tool handles](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/west-coast-industries-saves-time-and-money-for-aerospace/)

  Aerospace drilling tool handles that survive being dropped.

Printers and materials

## The printers and materials behind these parts.

### Print processes

[MJF](https://amtechnologies.com/learn/mjf-vapor-smoothing/), [SLS](https://amtechnologies.com/learn/sls-vapor-smoothing/) and [SAF](https://amtechnologies.com/learn/saf-hss-vapor-smoothing/)

Norden prints on HP Multi Jet Fusion. PostPro smooths parts from MJF, SLS, SAF, HSS and FDM[2,3].

### Materials

- [PA12 Polyamide 12](https://amtechnologies.com/materials/pa12/)
- [PA11 Polyamide 11](https://amtechnologies.com/materials/pa11/)
- [PP Polypropylene](https://amtechnologies.com/materials/polypropylene/)
- [CNC Machined plastics](https://amtechnologies.com/applications/vapor-polishing-machined-plastics/)

[Which system? Compare all four](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/)

Case studies

## Two stories from industrial.

Each case study is the customer’s published account: the summary here, the full story and the PDF one click away.

1. Case study 01 / 02

   Vapor-smoothed trim waste chute

   ### [A trim waste chute that keeps waste flowing](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-production-machinery-components/)

   Norden swapped a sheet metal assembly for one printed PA12 chute. Vapor smoothing lowers internal friction for better waste flow and makes the part easier to keep clean.

   - **Customer**: Norden
   - **Process**: HP MJF PA12 → PostPro vapor smoothing
   - **Result**: A sealed, smooth chute that cuts friction and dust buildup, replacing a sheet metal assembly
   - **Published**: Feb 2026

   [Read the case study: A trim waste chute that keeps waste flowing](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-production-machinery-components/) [PDF: A trim waste chute that keeps waste flowing (opens in a new tab)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-production-machinery-components/)
2. Case study 02 / 02

   Vacuum pick-and-place part

   ### [A pick-and-place part for tube filling](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/vapor-smoothing-for-production-machinery/)

   Norden replaced a machined, multi-part assembly with one HP MJF part with internal vacuum channels, then vapor smoothed it for a sealed surface fit for hygiene-critical machinery.

   - **Customer**: Norden
   - **Process**: HP MJF → vapor smoothed
   - **Result**: A single part with internal vacuum channels replaced a multi-component, machined assembly
   - **Published**: Nov 2025[1]

   [Read the case study: A pick-and-place part for tube filling](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/vapor-smoothing-for-production-machinery/) [PDF: A pick-and-place part for tube filling (opens in a new tab)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/vapor-smoothing-for-production-machinery/)

[All seven industrial case studies in the case-study library](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/?industry=industrial)

Industrial on video

## See it at work

[Watch on YouTube:](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovERDs8LmwQ)

### _3D Printed Drone | EOS SLS + Vapor Smoothing for Production-Ready UAV_

[Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovERDs8LmwQ)

Next step

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

Starting 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 send AMT an itemized quotation request. Each system shows its starting price.

   [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://amtechnologies.com/test-your-parts/)

   No cost to evaluate · Parts returned · Typical turnaround 2–3 weeks[4]

Prices: starting prices, excluding tax and shipping; everything else is priced in your quotation.

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

Questions

## Questions, answered.

### Why vapor smooth parts for hygiene-critical machinery?

A sealed, uniform surface is easier to keep clean. Norden vapor smooths parts for its tube filling machines to get the finish hygiene-critical environments require, with lower friction and less wear in operation.[1]

### Can a printed part replace a machined assembly?

Norden replaced a multi-component, machined assembly with a single HP MJF part with internal vacuum channels, then vapor smoothed it.[1]

### Does vapor smoothing seal parts against fluids?

It seals the surface. In AMT’s tests on SLS PA2200 parts, burst pressure rose by up to 7%, with dimensional change of 0.4% or less.[5]

### Can I test my own parts before I buy?

Yes. Send a few of your printed parts to AMT’s benchmarking program and they come back vapor smoothed: no cost to evaluate, parts returned, typical turnaround 2–3 weeks.[4]

## Sources

1. [How Norden improved efficiency with vapor smoothing for production machinery (case study)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/vapor-smoothing-for-production-machinery/) · AMT · Nov 27, 2025
2. [Vapor smoothing: SF and X-series family page and SFX, SF2X, SF50, SF100 product pages](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/) · AMT · read Oct 6, 2026 · also [AMT](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/postpro-sfx-desktop-vapor-smoothing-system/) · also [AMT](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/postpro-sf2x/) · also [AMT](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/postpro-sf50/) · also [AMT](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/postpro-sf100/)
3. [Vapor smoothing consumables: PostPro Pure (FA5802), FA326 and FA9202](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/consumables/) · AMT · read Oct 6, 2026
4. [PostPro benchmarking: send us your 3D printed parts](https://benchmarking.amtechnologies.com/) · AMT · read Oct 6, 2026
5. [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