Beyond the Build: Solving Post-Processing Bottlenecks in Metal 3D Printing
Metal 3D printing has revolutionised component part manufacturing, enabling parts with intricate geometries, consolidated assemblies, and custom internal features. Ask any engineer or production lead, though, and they’ll tell you: the real bottleneck often begins after the printer stops.
Post-processing is everything from support removal to surface finishing and heat treatment — and it’s where timelines stretch and costs spike. At Quickparts, we take a great deal of time working with our customers to ensure they understand just what’s involved; and to reiterate that the more complex the part, the greater these costs are going to be. Solving these bottlenecks isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about unlocking the full value of Direct Metal Printing (DMP) for every customer, from startups to aerospace primes.
Why Does Post-Processing Slow Everyone Down?
For all its innovation, metal 3D printing doesn’t deliver production-ready parts straight off the build plate. That’s especially true for DMP, which, while excellent for producing highly detailed, structurally complex components, often requires several additional steps before a part can meet real-world requirements.
Common Post-Processing Bottlenecks
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Support Removal
DMP parts typically require extensive, material-heavy support structures. Removing these, especially on intricate or internal features, can be labour-intensive and time-consuming. -
Heat Treatment
Stress relief and thermal treatments are critical to ensuring material performance. But scheduling, equipment availability, and validation can prolong this step. -
Machining and Tolerancing
While DMP offers excellent accuracy, many parts still require secondary machining to achieve critical dimensions or surface finishes. -
Surface Finishing
Whether for aesthetics, corrosion resistance, or improved fatigue life, finishing techniques such as polishing, bead blasting, or coating can become significant chokepoints.
The problem isn’t just time, it’s coordination. While Quickparts carries out the majority of its post-processing in-house, many manufacturers outsource post-processing steps to different suppliers, creating logistical complexity and increasing the risk of delays or inconsistencies. Each handoff adds friction, and even small miscommunications can set a project back days or weeks.
According to a study by Wohlers Associates, post-processing accounts for up to 55% of the total production time and cost in metal additive manufacturing. (Source: Wohlers Report 2023)
That’s why solving the post-processing puzzle is critical to scaling DMP and why Quickparts has made it a key part of our integrated service model.
How Does Quickparts Streamline the Post-Processing Journey?
At Quickparts, we don’t view post-processing as an afterthought but we see it as an opportunity to add value, save time, and reduce risk for every customer. Our approach is built on three principles: integration, expertise, and flexibility.
- End-to-End Integration: One Partner, No Ping-Pong
Rather than pushing parts out to external heat treaters, finishers, or machine shops, Quickparts brings key post-processing steps in-house or under coordinated management. This allows us to control quality, compress timelines, and keep communication clear. From the moment your build is planned, post-processing requirements are considered, engineered, and scheduled — not tacked on.
This becomes especially critical in regulated sectors like aerospace or medtech, where traceability, documentation, and consistency aren’t optional. Integrated post-processing allows us to ensure compliance without sacrificing speed.
- Smart DfAM + Post-Processing Planning
Many bottlenecks stem not from post-processing itself but from designs that don’t anticipate it. That’s why our engineers partner with customers early in the design process to consider:
- How will supports be accessed and removed?
- Can features be reoriented to avoid overhangs?
- Will certain surfaces require machining, and how will that be fixtured?
By thinking beyond the build, we reduce the number of steps needed after printing and optimise the process for overall throughput, not just print time.
- Advanced Finishing Capabilities for Real-World Use
Many DMP parts are destined for harsh environments, engines, aerospace systems, and surgical suites, to name a few. That means the surface can’t just look good, it needs to perform.
Quickparts offers a range of finishing and post-processing capabilities tailored to each project’s functional and regulatory needs:
- Thermal and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) for improving density and fatigue strength
- CNC finishing for mating surfaces or tight tolerances
- Anodising, passivation, and coatings for corrosion protection
And because we own the process from end to end, we’re able to spot potential issues before they cause delays and solve them before they escalate.
Flexibility for Every Customer
We know every customer is different. Startups may need help navigating certification requirements; established OEMs might require detailed CMM inspection and first article reporting. That’s why our post-processing model is flexible by design.
Whether you need one part or one thousand, Quickparts can scale services to fit your needs, providing technical consultation, material guidance, and realistic lead time planning every step of the way.
More than anything, customers tell us they value visibility. They know where their part is in the process. They know what’s next. And they know we’re accountable for the outcome, not pushing it off to a third party.
Build Speed is Great, But Finishing Strong Wins the Race
Metal 3D printing is often celebrated for its speed and freedom, but if post-processing slows you down, you’re not gaining ground. At Quickparts, we don’t just help you print complex metal parts, we help you finish them, qualify them, and get them to market without the bottlenecks.
Let’s build it and finish it together. Contact Quickparts to streamline your next DMP project.
