PALMS · Project

Plasma Polishing That Makes 3D-Printed Metal Parts Smooth in Under 20 Minutes

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7

wallworkht.co.uk

When you 3D-print metal parts, the surface comes out rough — like sandpaper instead of polished steel. That roughness causes real problems: parts wear out faster, crack sooner, and look terrible. PALMS built a machine that dunks these rough parts into an electrochemical plasma bath and, in less than 20 minutes, brings the surface from gritty to mirror-smooth. Think of it like a dishwasher for metal parts, except instead of hot water it uses plasma to strip away the roughness uniformly, even in hard-to-reach internal channels.

By the numbers

<0.1µm

Surface micro-finish achieved after treatment

<20 minutes

Treatment time per batch

10-50µm

Starting macro-finish roughness of AM parts

3.0%

Projected global market share by year 5 post-project

€68 million

Projected combined revenues by year 5 post-project

160+

Projected new jobs created

1063%

Projected IRR return on investment

Complete PALMS systems delivered (CE-marking ready)

Consortium partners across 3 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

3D-printed metal parts come out of the printer with rough, uneven surfaces that cause premature wear, corrosion, fatigue cracking, and poor tolerances. Existing post-processing methods are expensive and often cannot reach the complex internal geometries that make additive manufacturing valuable in the first place. This surface quality gap is blocking wider adoption of 3D printing in aerospace, medical, dental, and automotive industries where smooth finishes are critical.

The solution

What was built

The project built two complete, CE-marking-ready PALMS plasma smoothing systems plus an advanced scaled-up beta-prototype. They also produced comprehensive case studies for at least 2 demonstration projects each in aerospace, biomedical, dental, and automotive sectors.

Audience

Who needs this

Aerospace component manufacturers using metal additive manufacturingMedical implant and dental prosthetics producers with 3D-printed productsAutomotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers adopting metal AM for lightweight partsMetal 3D printing service bureaus offering finished parts to customersHeat treatment and surface finishing companies looking to add AM post-processing capabilities

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Aerospace

enterprise

Target: Aerospace component manufacturers and MRO providers using metal 3D printing

If you are an aerospace parts manufacturer dealing with rough surface finishes on 3D-printed turbine blades or structural brackets — this project developed a plasma polishing system that smooths parts from 10-50µm down to less than 0.1µm in under 20 minutes. That means your AM parts can meet the strict surface quality requirements for flight-critical components without expensive manual finishing.

Medical Devices

any

Target: Biomedical implant and dental prosthetics manufacturers

If you are a medical device company struggling with surface roughness on 3D-printed implants or dental crowns — PALMS created a plasma smoothing process that delivers uniform micro-finish below 0.1µm, even on complex geometries. Smoother implant surfaces reduce infection risk and improve biocompatibility, and the process handles the intricate shapes that traditional polishing cannot reach.

Automotive

mid-size

Target: Automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers adopting additive manufacturing

If you are an automotive supplier producing lightweight 3D-printed components but rejecting parts due to surface quality — this project built two complete, CE-marking-ready plasma smoothing systems demonstrated across key sectors including automotive. The treatment takes less than 20 minutes per batch, which means it can fit into existing production workflows without creating a bottleneck.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does the PALMS system cost to operate compared to traditional finishing?

The project describes PALMS as a 'cost-effective macro-polishing solution' that treats parts in less than 20 minutes. Specific per-part costs are not published in the available data, but the speed advantage over manual polishing and the ability to handle complex geometries suggest significant labor cost savings. Contact the coordinator for pricing details.

Can this work at industrial production scale?

Yes. The project delivered two complete PALMS systems that are EMC compliant with CE marking documentation ready. These are not lab prototypes — they were built for demonstration at production-relevant scale. The consortium projected capturing 3.0% of the global market by year 5 post-project.

What about IP and licensing — can I buy or license this technology?

The technology was developed by an industry-led consortium with Wallwork Cambridge Limited as coordinator, a commercial heat treatment and surface engineering company. Based on available project data, the IP likely sits with the consortium partners. Licensing or equipment purchase inquiries should be directed to Wallwork.

What surface quality results can I expect?

The objective states that parts start with a macro finish of 10-50µm and are treated to a uniform micro-finish of less than 0.1µm. This is achieved in a single, highly controlled treatment of less than 20 minutes. The process delivers improved aesthetics and mechanical performance.

Which part geometries and materials does this work on?

PALMS was designed specifically for additive manufactured metal parts with complex geometries — the kind that traditional polishing methods struggle with. Case studies were completed for at least 2 demonstration projects each in aerospace, biomedical, dental, and automotive sectors. Based on available project data, specific material compatibility details should be confirmed with the coordinator.

How long until I could implement this in my facility?

The project ran from 2017 to 2021 and delivered complete, CE-marking-ready systems. The technology started at TRL6 and the consortium aimed to move from demonstration to market uptake within 32 months. The systems should be commercially available or near-commercial now. Contact Wallwork for current availability.

Consortium

Who built it

The PALMS consortium is strongly industry-driven: 3 out of 5 partners are industrial companies (60%), with 2 SMEs bringing agility and commercial focus. Led by Wallwork Cambridge Limited, a UK-based heat treatment and surface engineering company — meaning the coordinator is not a university but a business that already operates in the surface finishing market. The consortium spans 3 countries (UK, France, Italy) and includes 1 university and 1 research organization for scientific backing. This industry-heavy composition signals genuine commercial intent and a clear path to market, not just a research exercise.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTERparticipant · UK
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
POLY-SHAPEparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

Wallwork Cambridge Limited (UK) — a commercial heat treatment company. Search for their surface engineering or AM division contacts.

Order a report on this consortium

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the PALMS team to discuss licensing or equipment purchase? SciTransfer can organize a direct meeting with the technology developers.

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