Patent ID: 11597146

Abstract:
A method and apparatus are for surface finishing of pieces obtained by 3D printing. The piece to be treated and a liquid process plasticizer are heated together in a hermetically sealed treatment chamber up to a working temperature lower than the boiling temperature of the process plasticizer. The air/vapor mixture is maintained in continuous circulation in the chamber to keep the temperature and concentration uniform and to contact the piece with the air/vapor mixture to avoid condensate formation on the piece surface and allow process plasticizer vapors to be absorbed by the piece surface without condensate formation. Vapor exposure time is fixed depending on the desired penetration depth. A chamber has heaters, a ventilator for circulating the air/vapor mixture in the chamber to maintain uniform temperature and concentration conditions. A unit separates the process plasticizer vapors from the air/vapor mixture by condensation. A unit filters the residual air/vapor mixture.