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Selective Laser Sintering

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Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a 3D printing technology that builds parts by fusing powdered material together with a laser beam!

Stereolithography based 3D printers have three main components:

Selective laser sintering based 3D printers have three main components:

Parts

1) a build chamber that can contain powered material, and be raised and lowered.

2) powdered build material and a mechanism to distribute it in the chamber and to smooth out the surface

3) A Laser that can melt (or sinter) the powdered material creating a solid object.

With Selective laser sintering 3D printers a model from a CAD program is turned into a series of cross section data. That data is transferred to the 3D printer and the process begins.

3D Printing

When a print job is started the powder deposition mechanism fills the build chamber with a thin layer of powder. The laser then “draws” the cross section of the part on the layer of powder fusing it together. The entire surface of the chamber is covered, but only a small portion is hardened. The build chamber is lowered by a very small amount, a new layer of powder is deposited over the first and the laser sinters the second layer of powder to the first. The process is repeated hundreds or thousands of times depending on the size of the part.

Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printers use heat to bind material together and create objects. Because they use heat instead of light or glue they are able to create models out of powdered Plastic, Ceramics, and even metal parts. This capability is unique among 3D printer manufacturers and makes it one of the most flexible processes around.

Finishing

When the process is complete you are left with a build chamber that has been completely filled with the build material. The chamber is vacuumed out and the parts remain. Often parts need to be dusted off or otherwise processed.

One of the benefits of the technology is that Selectively laser sintered parts are self-supporting so you only need to use one material.

Some materials require additional processing. Materials with high melting points like metal and glass must be infiltrated with a secondary material and fired in a kiln to ensure structural integrity.

Pros

Benefits of Selective Laser Sintering

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• ● High Strength parts
• A variety of colors are available
• Complex parts can be produced
• Multiple materials can be printed (plastics
• metals
• ceramics)
• No support materials are required.

Cons

Drawbacks of Selective Laser Sintering

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• Technology is more expensive
• Process can be messier than alternatives

Companies that Sell Selective Laser Sintering Equipment

Companies that Offer Selective Laser Sintering Services

FAQS

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Why should I use Selective laser sintering instead of another 3D printing technology?

Selective Laser Sintering is often the only practical choice if you need parts 3D printed in a material other than plastic. SLS is the only practical choice if you need to print metal.

What is the difference between Selective Laser Sintering and Electron Beam Melting?

Electron Beam Melting or EBM is a higher quality alternative to Selective Laser Sintering. Parts are produced in a vacuum and have much higher functional properties

Cost

Parts made with selective laser sintering can cost as little as $5 up to many thousands, depending on the size and complexity of the part, the resolution required, and the time frame for production. The primary driver of Selective Laser Sintering cost is the material used. Plastics are much less expensive than metals.

Time

Parts can usually be made in 1-2 weeks and in days if your budget allows for rush fees. There are many service bureaus that allow you to upload parts, pay via credit card, and have the parts delivered to your home. Material choices also impact time of production. Metals and ceramics require secondary processing which will add lead time to a project.

Scale

Selective laser sintering and other 3d printing techniques are generally used for low fidelity rapid prototypes or in small scale manufacturing for specialized industries. Because Selective Laser Sintering support material can be reused, it can be cost effective to produce large parts with this process. However, high resolution and small detailed parts can also be produced.

Use

Parts can be:
Used to test mechanical designs
Finished and painted to be used as models for presentations
Used as final production parts in certain industries.

Quality

Parts made with a selective laser sintering 3D printer can be extremely strong with mechanical properties that are close to production materials. Parts can also be printed in multiple colors (only one color at a time though).