--- title: "Vapor Smoothing for Medical Devices | AMT PostPro" description: "How PostPro vapor smoothing gives 3D printed prostheses, orthoses and medical parts smooth, sealed, cleanable surfaces. Case studies inside." canonical: https://amtechnologies.com/industries/medical/ updated: 2026-10-09 type: application --- ![3D-printed mouthguard-shaped parts and black lattice parts on a dark surface](https://amtechnologies.com/img/industries/hero-medical-d-640.webp) Applications · Medical & health # Prostheses and orthoses patients want to wear. Vapor smoothing seals and smooths 3D printed polymer parts, so devices worn against the skin are comfortable, easier to keep clean and finished like a premium product.[1,2] Prosthetics and orthotics makers vapor smooth powder-bed parts, most often from HP Multi Jet Fusion and SLS printers, in PA11, PA12 and TPU.[3] [Test your parts, free](https://amtechnologies.com/test-your-parts/) See the case studies Key applications ## Where medical parts are vapor smoothed. - ### [Partial hand prostheses](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-partial-hand-prostheses/) Custom devices printed for one patient, sealed for daily wear.[1] - ### [Upper limb prostheses](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-upper-limb-prosthetics/) Prosthetic devices worn every day: comfortable and easier to keep clean.[2] - ### [Prosthetic sockets](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/amt-postpro-chemical-vapor-smoothing-for-custom-3d-printed-prosthetics/) A custom DuoSocket, vapor smoothed for comfort and a durable finish. - ### [Orthoses](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-orthoses-with-vapor-smoothing/) Custom orthoses in PA11 and TPU with smooth, non-abrasive surfaces for skin contact.[3] - ### [Ankle-foot orthoses](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/ability-made-vapor-smoothing-3d-printed-orthotic-devices/) Impact resistance of as-printed and vapor-smoothed orthoses, compared. - ### [Nasopharyngeal swabs](https://amtechnologies.com/awards/) Post-processing for 3D printed swabs, an Innovate UK project with AMT as lead participant. - ### Dental and intraoral parts Tested for dental use: PA11 for cytotoxicity and PA12 for antibacterial activity, both printed on HP MJF.[4] Printers and materials ## The printers and materials behind these parts. ### Print processes [MJF](https://amtechnologies.com/learn/mjf-vapor-smoothing/) and [SLS](https://amtechnologies.com/learn/sls-vapor-smoothing/), plus [SAF and HSS](https://amtechnologies.com/learn/saf-hss-vapor-smoothing/) for PA12 PostPro smooths parts from MJF, SLS, SAF, HSS and FDM[5,6]. ### Materials - [PA11 Polyamide 11](https://amtechnologies.com/materials/pa11/) - [PA12 Polyamide 12](https://amtechnologies.com/materials/pa12/) - [TPU Thermoplastic polyurethane](https://amtechnologies.com/materials/tpu/) [Which system? Compare all four](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/) Case studies ## Two stories from medical & health. 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 Partial hand prosthesis under running water ### [Partial hand prostheses patients want to wear](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-partial-hand-prostheses/) Point Designs prints each partial hand prosthesis to fit one patient, then vapor smooths it on a PostPro SFX for a sealed, comfortable surface and a premium finish. - **Customer**: Point Designs - **Process**: HP MJF → PostPro SFX - **Result**: Smooth, sealed surfaces that improve comfort and hygiene - **Published**: Jul 2026[1] [Read the case study: Partial hand prostheses patients want to wear](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-partial-hand-prostheses/) [PDF: Partial hand prostheses patients want to wear (opens in a new tab)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-partial-hand-prostheses/) 2. Case study 02 / 02 Custom-printed prosthetic covers beside a PostPro SFX ### [Comfort and hygiene in upper limb prosthetics](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-upper-limb-prosthetics/) The clinic combines HP Multi Jet Fusion printing with PostPro vapor smoothing so devices worn every day are comfortable, easier to keep clean, and can carry custom colors and graphics. - **Customer**: Atlantic Clinic for Upper Limb Prosthetics - **Process**: HP MJF → PostPro vapor smoothing - **Result**: A sealed, low-friction surface: more comfort, better hygiene, more resistance to wear and staining - **Published**: Mar 2026[2] [Read the case study: Comfort and hygiene in upper limb prosthetics](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-upper-limb-prosthetics/) [PDF: Comfort and hygiene in upper limb prosthetics (opens in a new tab)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-upper-limb-prosthetics/) [All five medical case studies in the case-study library](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/?industry=medical) Medical on video ## See it at work [Watch on YouTube:](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mikpbSVf8Pg) ### _How Vapor Smoothing Improves Comfort and Hygiene in 3D-Printed Orthotics_ [Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mikpbSVf8Pg) 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[7] 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. ### Can vapor-smoothed parts be worn against the skin? Prosthetics and orthotics makers vapor smooth devices for exactly that. Orthobroker reports smooth, non-abrasive surfaces for better skin contact, and the Atlantic Clinic a sealed, low-friction surface that improves comfort.[2,3] ### Does vapor smoothing make medical devices easier to keep clean? A raw print is porous and can trap contaminants. Vapor smoothing seals the surface: Orthobroker reports sealed finishes that prevent sweat absorption and bacteria growth.[2,3] ### Has vapor smoothing been tested for cytotoxicity? Yes: AMT has published a cytotoxicity test for parts finished with FA5802 (Pure). The result, with the material tested, is in the [published test results](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/consumables/#results). A test result applies to the parts tested; it is not a biocompatibility or medical-device certification.[8] ### Which printers and materials do prosthetics and orthotics makers use? Most often HP Multi Jet Fusion and SLS printers, in PA11, PA12 and TPU; PA12 parts also come from SAF and HSS printers. Orthobroker, for example, prints its orthoses in HP PA11 and TPU on HP Multi Jet Fusion.[3] ### Which PostPro system suits a clinic or orthotics lab? Clinics and labs often start on the desktop PostPro SFX; for production volumes there are the industrial PostPro SF50 and SF100.[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.[7] ## Sources 1. [Designing 3D-printed partial hand prostheses patients want to wear (Point Designs case study)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-partial-hand-prostheses/) · AMT · Jul 2, 2026 2. [Creating 3D-printed upper limb prosthetics with vapor smoothing (Atlantic Clinic case study)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-upper-limb-prosthetics/) · AMT · Mar 26, 2026 3. [3D-printed orthoses enabled with vapor smoothing (Orthobroker case study)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/case-studies/3d-printed-orthoses-with-vapor-smoothing/) · AMT · Oct 9, 2025 4. [AMT PostPro brochure: automated post-processing systems for additive manufacturing, V4.0 (June 2026)](https://info.amtechnologies.com/download-document?document_name=brochure) · AMT · Jun 2026 5. [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/) 6. [Vapor smoothing consumables: PostPro Pure (FA5802), FA326 and FA9202](https://amtechnologies.com/products/vapor-smoothing/consumables/) · AMT · read Oct 6, 2026 7. [PostPro benchmarking: send us your 3D printed parts](https://benchmarking.amtechnologies.com/) · AMT · read Oct 6, 2026 8. [Vapor smoothing of HP MJF parts with sustainable PostPro Pure consumable (whitepaper)](https://amtechnologies.com/resources/whitepapers/vapor-smoothing-of-hp-multi-jet-fusion-mjf-parts-with-amts-sustainable-postpro-pureconsumable/) · AMT · Jun 20, 2025