SPI Finish: The Definitive

Guide

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about SPI Finish.

The VDI 3400 and SPI Finish are the two most widely used surface
finishes for plastic injection molds. They consist of 90% of finish
references on the market.

SPI Finish provides a fast and straightforward solution for mold

polishing and sandblasting.

Table of Contents
1. What is SPI Finish?
2. How to make SPI Finish?
3. SPI Finish Guide/ SPI Finish Chart
4. SPI Finish Card/ Plaques/ Samples
5. SPI Finish to RA Conversion
6. SPI Finish to VDI 3400

What is SPI Finish?

SPI Finish (SPI Finishes) is also known as “SPI Mold Finish (SPI Mold
Finishes)” or “SPI Surface Finishes“.

The SPI Finish refers to the American surface finish standard set by SPI
(Society of the Plastics Industry). The standard covers 12 SPI grades of
polish finishes: SPI A1 to #SPI D3 (RA 0.012 μm to RA 18.00μm).

Although the Society of the Plastic Industy set SPI Mold Standard, it is
widely used by mold makers, industrial designers, and marketers
worldwide. That’s to say, it is not just an American standard but also a
global mold finish standard. If you work with your off-shore molders, for
example, in China, you may still use the same standard for mold polish
request.

If you want to see what physical plastic samples of SPI mold finish
would look like,  you may jump to SPI Finish Card section.

How to Make SPI Finish?

There are a few finishing methods to get the 12 SPI finish grades.:

Grit Diamond (High Gloss): SPI A1, SPI A2, and SPI A3
Grit Paper (Semi-Gloss): SPI B1 to SPI B2, and SPI B3
Grit Stone (Low Gloss): SPI C1 to SPI C2, and SPI C3
Dry Blast (Matte): SPI D1 to SPI D2, and SPI D3
 SPI Finish Guide/ Chart

The complete SPI finish standard covers 12 grades from SPI A1 to D3.

At below SPI finish chart, we use surface roughness Ra (μm), finishing

methods, recommended steels as references to show each grade’s
finish.

If you want to check what the physical textures look like, the best way is
to get our SPI Finish card.

SPI FINISH SURFACE FINISHING FNISHING STEELS

STANDARD ROUGHNESS METHOD LOOK RECOMMENDED
RA ( Μ M)

SPI A1 0.012 to 0.025 6000 Grit Super High S136 (54HRC)

Diamond Glossy finish or
8407(52HRC)

SPI A2 0.012 to 0.025 3000 Grit High Glossy S136 (54HRC)

Diamond finish or
8407(52HRC)

SPI A3 0.05 to 0.10 1200 Grit Normal S136 (300HB)

Diamond Glossy finish or 718H

SPI B1 0.05 to 0.10 600 Grit Paper Fine Semi- 718H

glossy finish

SPI B2 0.10 to 0.15 400 Grit Paper Medium 718H

Semi-glossy
finish

SPI B3 0.28 to 0.32 320 Grit Paper Normal Semi- 718H

glossy finish

SPI C1 0.35 to 0.40 600 Grit Stone Fine Matte 718H

finish
 SPI C2 0.45 to 0.55 400 Grit Stone Medium Matte 718H
finish

SPI C3 0.63 to 0.70 320 Grit Stone Normal Matte 718H

finish

SPI D1 0.80 to 1.00 Dry Blast Satin Textured 718H

Glass Bead finish

SPI D2 1.00 to 2.80​ Dry Blast Dull Textured 718H

finish

SPI D3 3.20 to 18.0 Dry Blast Rough 718H

Textured finish

SPI Finish Card

Plastopia provides the plastic SPI Finish card at palm-size to give you
a useful guide on SPI Finish Standard.

Compared with traditional metal plaques, plastic cards give you a real
hand touch or visual polish finish of your plastic parts. You will see what
you will finally mold.

The card comes with 11 different plastic materials and colors for your
wide selection: from commodity plastics (ABS, PP, and others) to
engineering plastics (HIPS, PA+GF30, and others). We also provide
customization if required.

ABS (Black/ Grey/ Red/ Blue/ White)

ABS-PC (Black/ White)
PC (Black/ White/ Clear)
PMMA /Acrylic (Clear)
PP (Black)
HDPE (Black)

LDPE (Black)
HIPS (Black)
PBT (Grey)
TPE (Black)
PA+GF30 (Black)
Customization (If required)

We designed our SPI finish card at a palm-size of 160×65×2 mm for easy

carrying. You can bring it to any production site or even at a customer’s
meeting. The card has two sides and comes with the 12 SPI finish
grades from A1 to D3.

Here is the picture of Side A. From left to right: SPI A1, SPI A2, SPI A3, SPI
B1, SPI B2, and SPI B3 (Each plaque is at 40×20 mm.)

And here is the picture of Side B. From left to right: SPI C1, SPI C2, SPI
C3, SPI D1, SPI D2, and SPI D3 (Each plaque is at 40×20 mm.)

Check out our unboxing video below to learn more details:

 SPI Finish Card Unboxing

Plastopia SPI Finish cards are already trusted and widely used by
brand companies like Apple, Samsung, Canon, Huawei, Foxconn, and
many more.

Order Your SPI Finish Card Today

SPI Finish to RA Conversion

Here is the conversion form from the SPI finish (SPI Mold Finish) to RA
values.

SPI FINISH STANDARD SURFACE ROUGHNESS RA ( Μ M)

SPI A1 0.012 to 0.025

SPI A2 0.012 to 0.025

SPI A3 0.05 to 0.10

SPI B1 0.05 to 0.10

SPI B2 0.10 to 0.15

SPI B3 0.28 to 0.32

SPI C1 0.35 to 0.40

SPI C2 0.45 to 0.55

SPI C3 0.63 to 0.70

SPI D1 0.80 to 1.00

 SPI D2 1.00 to 2.80​

SPI D1 3.20 to 18.0

VDI 3400 to SPI

VDI 3400 standard is mainly a reference for surface roughness (focus on

“ROUGH”). SPI Finish is mostly for mold polish (focus on “SMOOTH”).

Although they are made for different surface finishes, they still share
some close finishes based on varied grades. Below is the form of SPI to
VDI 3400 if you need a rough match. 

If you want to check the difference in physical plastic parts, we provide

both the VDI 3400 card and SPI finish card in 11 types of plastics. You
can compare and decide the surface finish you need. Check here.

SPI FINISH VDI 3400 ROUGHNESS TYPICAL

STANDARD STANDARD (RA / Μ M) FINISHES

SPI A1 Not Available 0.012 to 0.025 Lens / Mirror

SPI A2 Not Available 0.025 to 0.05 High Polish

SPI A3 VDI #0 ~ #5 0.05 to 0.10 High Polish

SPI B1 VDI #6 0.05 to 0.10 Medium Polish

SPI B2 VDI #7 ~ #8 0.10 to 0.15 Medium Polish

SPI B3 VDI #9 ~ #10 0.28 to 0.32 Medium- Low

Polish

SPI C1 VDI #11 ~ #12 0.35 to 0.40 Low Polish

SPI C2 VDI #13 ~ #15 0.45 to 0.55 Low Polish

SPI C3 VDI #16 ~ #17 0.63 to 0.70 Low Polish

SPI D1 VDI #18 ~ #19 0.80 to 1.00 Satin Finish

SPI D2 VDI #20 ~ #29 1.00 to 2.80 Dull Finish

SPI D3 VDI #30 ~ #45 3.20 to 18.0 Dull Finish

Order Your SPI Finish Card Today

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