CoreTechnologie Adds Texture Library to 4D_Additive Software

Software developer CoreTechnologie has equipped its 3D printing software, 4D_Additive, with a special texture library which is compliant with VDI 3400 guidelines for texture standards, offering optimized surface refinement for additive manufacturing (AM). With the enhanced textures module, the surfaces of 3D printed components can be visually and functionally enhanced with just a few clicks.

Aesthetic and Functional Surface Refinement

The textures of the optimized 4D_Additive Software tool improve the surface appearance, give additively manufactured components an aesthetic look and conceal irregularities that occur during production and printing, just like in injection molding. For the new type of surface finishing, special textures based on the VDI 3400 standard are now available in the textures module. The surface finishes of the VDI 3400 Surface Finish Guideline of the Association of German Engineers (VDI) are used worldwide for products for which a certain texture or grain is desired for aesthetic and functional reasons.

Simple Application and Fast Results

The module is easy to use. Designers and engineers simply select the right texture for surface design and surface finishing from the texture library and the 4D_Additive software works directly with the exact CAD models. The desired surfaces and texture areas are selected with just a few clicks and the surface structures predefined in the library are generated. The stair-stepping effect, which is particularly undesirable in 3D printing, is automatically concealed. In contrast to the time-consuming process of creating textures in toolmaking, AM enables surface design to be created on any 3D/CAD geometry in just a few seconds using the software.

The significance of surface finishing is increasing, particularly in the increasingly important process of additively manufactured small series parts. From a commercial perspective, products with high surface quality and aesthetics that are provided with textures and graining are more attractive to customers and convey a higher quality standard. By using the new textures library in 4D_Additive, companies can optimize their 3D printing processes and offer their customers aesthetically pleasing, high-quality products.