Waseda University Develops New 3D Print Smoothing Process

If you've ever tried to smooth a print, you know how much time and effort goes into eliminating print lines. You've undoubtedly wished that there was an easier way - and thanks to researchers at Waseda University, print smoothing may soon be as easy as coloring with a marker. The researchers named the process 3D Chemical Melting Finishing (3D-CMF), and it's simpler than it sounds - the pen-like tool is used to selectively apply solvent to a finished print in as small or large an area as you choose. The solvent in the pen melts the raised ridges, and the melted resin then fills the indented grooves to create a smooth surface. Read more at 3DPrint.com: http://3dprint.com/167691/waseda-university-3d-cmf/

http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...gs-610x632.jpg

Are you kidding me? Why is this news? News in 2017? This was done and researched 3 years ago. In 2014.
https://benchapman4.wordpress.com/20...acetone-vapor/


And a 3D-CMF pen was on the market 3 years ago.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...or-3d-printers
http://www.solidsmack.com/fabricatio...s-smooth-silk/

And its so common NOW its on several filament sites and has been for years:
http://www.makergeeks.com/abs-3d-pri...thing-pen.html
https://www.filabot.com/products/abssmootingpens


Sorry. They didn't develop anything new. They re-invented the wheel.

Yes, this is no new knowledge at all. Brush-on smoothening has been proven to work and is so simple as a principle it needs no fancy abbreviation.
Besides, CMF already stands for Color-Material-Finish and it's a dissolving process rather than melting..
Thing is, designers want to print with bio-plastics. ABS is no bioplastic and the polymers as well as the solvents are harmful.
The real need is in finding a good solvent for PLA and then developing an off-the-shelf brush-on product for that.
Something like that is already done with XTC-3D which is great in value, but a two-component solution so a bit labour and time-intensive. It improves prints greatly, visually and mechanically.

Fully agree there. Would be nice to get a PLA as well as a PETG smoothing solution that doesn't require a full hazmat suit and respirator just to be able to survive another day. ABS and Acetone are and have been common knowledge for quite a long time. However the only chemicals I know that would perform the same or similar process on PLA are extremely hazardous and very very inappropriate for home use. Not aware of any reasonably safe ones for PETG either.