Flame-retardant 3D-printed parts with UL94 V-0 compliance

The requirement

Components often need UL94 V-0 compliance together with airtight performance and a high-quality surface finish. This application called for parts that withstand internal pressure and strict automotive safety requirements, with a surface comparable to injection-molded parts.

The approach

Protolabs validated HP 3D HR PA 12 FR printed on HP Multi Jet Fusion together with PostPro vapor smoothing. By reducing surface porosity and improving overall surface integrity, vapor smoothing helped unlock performance that as-printed parts alone could not reach.

The full case study covers the testing process, the surface improvements and how vapor smoothing helps enable certified end-use additive manufacturing applications.