Does anyone have insight into smoothing layer lines in 3d printed parts made from PLA . I am printing with a 0.4mm nozzle with 0.2mm layers. Someone recommended using acetone but I am not sure if this works with PLA. Other recommendations have been to use finer sand paper rather than a coarse grit.
The parts I have are a very organic shape.
I think acetone only works for ABS and ASA prints. I don’t think it affects PLA.
If you are going to paint the part, I know some try not to sand the actual printed plastic and use a filler and sand that. I don’t think PLA normally sands very well.
Lowering layer height will help visually hide layer lines.
Fill, sand, and prime gets you very smooth but its a drag to do.
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acetone… does effect PLA but its, er. less than ideal. it can work -sometimes- depending on the brand while others it just renders them sticky and ruined.
you’ll want something like automotive putty filler and then to sand it after. multiple thin layers of clear coat or paint can also work but they all risk smoothing out fine details.
pla also is really resistant to sanding; it often melts instead of smoothing but even worse it doesn’t smooth out when melted either; acting more akin to chewed bubblegum. its wonderful to print but its mostly chemically inert and its resistance to sanding really makes it less than ideal for anything you wish to have a smooth effect.
“matte” PLAs often do an excellent job at hiding layer lines if they’re not too aggressive (such as what you’d find on a sphere) but ideally you’d probably want to use ASA/ABS and use acetone to “vapour” smooth if you can help it.
now there are things that -can- smooth pla but they’re also not exactly stuff you really wanna be messing with unless you absolutely gotta; such as chloroform or methylene chloride but it would be far less effort to just learn how to print in ASA/ABS and use acetone.