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This is a pretty typical issue when producing waterproof housings for electronics. Via additive manufacturing, mitigating porosity in MJF is quite effective by vacuum impregnation. After printing, the part is immersed in a resin in a vacuum chamber, filling microvoids and curing in place a watertight seal. It’s reliable and maintains the lightweightness of the structure. You could CVD/PVD coat, providing a uniform, durable layer, but these tend to be really expensive, with complex setups. The penetration level can also be quite variable. Vacuum impregnation is way easier, especially for smaller production runs.

[Misha Campbell]

Hey , we’re looking for advice on achieving waterproof electronic card casings, since we’ve faced a few challenges lately. We’ve iterated several manufacturing processes: SLA, which resulted in warping due to thin walls, and MJF, where we removed the ESD constraint but still encountered issues with water ingress through porosity. A topical spray was tried to seal the MJF part, but the result was uneven, with a slightly sticky surface. Can anyone recommend a material or finish that would provide effective waterproofing while maintaining lightweight and cost-efficiency? We’d prefer to stick with additive methods for design flexibility and lower production volumes.

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[R Petersen]

This is a pretty typical issue when producing waterproof housings for electronics. Via additive manufacturing, mitigating porosity in MJF is quite effective by vacuum impregnation. After printing, the part is immersed in a resin in a vacuum chamber, filling microvoids and curing in place a watertight seal. It’s reliable and maintains the lightweightness of the structure.

You could CVD/PVD coat, providing a uniform, durable layer, but these tend to be really expensive, with complex setups. The penetration level can also be quite variable. Vacuum impregnation is way easier, especially for smaller production runs.

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[Misha Campbell]

Got it. Are there materials that naturally resist water ingress better than nylon?

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[R Petersen]

Nylons can be good – depends on which one. PEEK or Nylon12 with additives can reduce porosity and improve surface voids. Also, SLA can work if you opt for engineering rather than general-grade resins. Those specified for dental or industrial applications minimize warping and are easier to post-process for waterproofing.

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