Chemical coating techniques to enhance the surface quality of 3D printing (FDM) part: A short review

The staircase effect describes the overall print surface roughness indicated through the layer by layer of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), also known as the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process. Due to the poor surface finish, post-processing can improve the aesthetic effect. The different post-processing procedures for FDM parts are classified as material removal and material addition. This paper reviews four types of material addition methods based on chemical coating post-processing techniques; gap filling, coating spray, plating, and water transfer printing of based on production time, cost and related environmental issues. From the review, spray coating generally is cost-effective and less hazardous to the environment. The paper presents a benchmark between the available material addition techniques as a post-processing step for the FDM printed parts.