{"id":7336,"date":"2026-07-19T05:33:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T09:33:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/post-processing\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T06:58:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T10:58:01","slug":"post-processing","status":"publish","type":"knowledge-base","link":"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/nl\/knowledge-base\/post-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is post-processing?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Post-processing is the collection of finishing steps performed after a part comes off the printer or out of the mould, transforming a raw, freshly made object into a refined, premium finished piece through cleaning, support removal, sanding, smoothing, priming, painting, coating, polishing and assembly.<\/strong> It is where the craft in our work becomes most visible, and it is frequently the difference between an object that merely resembles a trophy and one that genuinely feels like a treasured award.<\/p>\n<h2>Why post-processing is essential<\/h2>\n<p>No manufacturing process, however precise, produces a finished award straight away. An FDM part carries fine layer texture and small support marks. A DLP part arrives coated in residual resin and still attached to supports. A casting emerges with remnants from the mould and a raw surface. In every case the piece as made is a starting point, faithful in geometry but unfinished in appearance and feel. Post-processing is the disciplined series of steps that closes the gap between that raw state and the premium standard our clients expect.<\/p>\n<p>This stage is where human skill matters most. Machines produce the form; hands and eyes bring it to life. The decisions and care applied in post-processing determine the final surface, colour, sheen and tactile quality, the very qualities a recipient experiences when they hold the piece.<\/p>\n<h2>The stages of post-processing<\/h2>\n<p>While every piece is treated individually, post-processing typically moves through a recognisable sequence.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cleaning:<\/strong> removing residual material, especially on resin and cast parts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Support removal:<\/strong> detaching temporary structures and refining their contact points.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sanding and smoothing:<\/strong> refining the surface to the intended texture.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Priming:<\/strong> preparing the surface to receive colour and coatings evenly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Painting and coating:<\/strong> applying colour, metallic effects, patinas or protective layers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Polishing:<\/strong> bringing surfaces to the desired sheen, from matte to mirror.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Assembly:<\/strong> combining components, bases and engraving into the finished piece.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Post-processing and material choice<\/h2>\n<p>The finishing route depends heavily on the material and process behind the piece. A polymer FDM part, a resin DLP part and a cast metal award each demand their own techniques and offer their own finishing possibilities. Metal can be polished bright, patinated or plated; resin can be painted, tinted or brought to optical clarity; polymers can be smoothed, coated and given metallic or textured finishes. Understanding how each substrate responds to finishing is essential, and these possibilities are described across our <a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/materials\/\">materials overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Where craft meets technology<\/h2>\n<p>Fabit exists at the meeting point of digital production and traditional craft, and post-processing is where that meeting is most tangible. The printing and casting technologies give us extraordinary geometric freedom and precision, but it is the hand finishing that imbues each piece with warmth, depth and prestige. A metallic coating hand applied and polished, a patina worked into recesses, a surface brought to a flawless sheen, these are craft acts that machines cannot replicate. This is why we describe our approach as the marriage of in house 3D printing and genuine craftsmanship, and it runs through the whole of our <a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/services\/custom-trophies\/\">custom trophies service<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>How post-processing serves the whole workflow<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Fabit-Gallery-1.png\" alt=\"Hand finishing and post processing of a custom trophy\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Post-processing does not stand alone; it is woven into every stage before it. When we plan how to slice a model or where to place supports, we are already thinking about the finishing that will follow. When we prepare a master for vacuum casting, its finish determines the quality of every copy. Good post-processing begins long before the finishing bench, in decisions made during design and production. This joined up thinking is what allows a Fabit piece to feel resolved and intentional in every detail, as you can see across our <a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/services\/3d-printed-trophies\/\">3D printed trophy<\/a> gallery.<\/p>\n<h2>The premium standard<\/h2>\n<p>For a high end award, post-processing is not optional polish; it is where prestige is created. The recipient will never see the printer or the mould. They will only ever experience the finished object, its surface, its weight, its colour and its detail. Every one of those qualities is shaped in post-processing. Investing in this stage is investing in the very thing that makes a recognition piece memorable, and it is a responsibility our team takes seriously with each and every piece.<\/p>\n<h2>What this means for your project<\/h2>\n<p>When you commission an award from Fabit, post-processing is included as an inseparable part of the craft, not an afterthought. Our team advises on the finish that best suits your design, your material and the impression you wish to create. Share your concept through our <a href=\"https:\/\/create.fabit3d.com\/\">design studio<\/a> and we will guide you toward the finishing approach that will make your award feel truly special.<\/p>\n<h2>Why finishing belongs in house<\/h2>\n<p>Finishing is the stage most often compromised when production is outsourced, because it is labour intensive and demands genuine skill. An external service optimised for throughput has every reason to rush it. We take the opposite view. By keeping finishing in house alongside our printing and casting, we treat it as the crowning stage of the work rather than a cost to be minimised. The same team that shaped the piece brings it to its final standard, which is why our awards feel resolved in a way that mass produced trophies rarely do.<\/p>\n<p>This control is also what makes our worldwide delivery meaningful. A beautifully finished piece must arrive as beautifully as it left, so finishing and packaging are considered together, with the journey in mind. Whether your award is presented in Antwerp or shipped across the world, it is finished by hands that care about the result and dispatched by a team that stands behind it, backed by our promise to respond to every enquiry within 24 hours.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Is post-processing included when I order an award?<\/strong> Yes. Finishing is an inseparable part of how we produce every piece, delivered to a premium standard rather than treated as an extra.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How much difference does post-processing really make?<\/strong> An enormous difference. It transforms a raw print or casting into a refined award, shaping the surface, colour, sheen and feel the recipient experiences.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you match a specific colour or finish?<\/strong> In most cases yes. We advise on colours, metallic effects, patinas and coatings suited to your material and design, drawing on the range in our materials overview.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Does post-processing add to the timeline?<\/strong> It is a considered, hands on stage, so it is factored into every project timeline. We respond to enquiries within 24 hours to scope the finishing and schedule precisely.<\/p>\n<h2>Related terms<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/support-structures\/\">support structures<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/slicing\/\">slicing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/fdm-printing\/\">FDM printing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/dlp-printing\/\">DLP printing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/vacuum-casting\/\">vacuum casting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/gravity-casting\/\">gravity casting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"DefinedTerm\", \"name\": \"post-processing\", \"description\": \"Discover how post processing turns raw prints into premium awards. Ask Fabit about the finishing your trophy deserves.\", \"inDefinedTermSet\": \"https:\/\/fabit3d.com\/knowledge-base\/\", \"termCode\": \"post-processing\"}<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Post-processing is the collection of finishing steps performed after a part comes off the printer or out of the mould, transforming a raw, freshly made object into a refined, premium finished piece through cleaning, support removal, sanding, smoothing, priming, painting, coating, polishing and assembly. It is where the craft in our work becomes most visible, and it is frequently the difference between an object that merely resembles a trophy and one that genuinely feels like a treasured award.\\n\\nWhy post-processing is essential\\nNo manufacturing process, however precise, produces a finished award straight away. An FDM part carries fine layer texture and small support marks. A DLP part arrives coated in residual resin and still attached to supports. A casting emerges with remnants from the mould and a raw surface. In every case the piece as made is a starting point, faithful in geometry but unfinished in appearance and feel. Post-processing is the disciplined series of steps that closes the gap between that raw state and the premium standard our clients expect.\\nThis stage is where human skill matters most. Machines produce the form; hands and eyes bring it to life. 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A polymer FDM part, a resin DLP part and a cast metal award each demand their own techniques and offer their own finishing possibilities. Metal can be polished bright, patinated or plated; resin can be painted, tinted or brought to optical clarity; polymers can be smoothed, coated and given metallic or textured finishes. Understanding how each substrate responds to finishing is essential, and these possibilities are described across our materials overview.\\n\\nWhere craft meets technology\\nFabit exists at the meeting point of digital production and traditional craft, and post-processing is where that meeting is most tangible. The printing and casting technologies give us extraordinary geometric freedom and precision, but it is the hand finishing that imbues each piece with warmth, depth and prestige. A metallic coating hand applied and polished, a patina worked into recesses, a surface brought to a flawless sheen, these are craft acts that machines cannot replicate. 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