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Selective Laser Sintering

Dwight Mitchell • Jul 26, 2022

Selective Laser Sintering - a 3D Printing

Technology That's Ideal for

Manufacturing Industrial Parts on

Demand

Selective Laser Sintering (or SLS) is a leading 3D printing technology used for manufacturing industrial parts on demand. If you’re not familiar with additive manufacturing processes, you might be wondering how they work. In general, 3D printing is the process of making a three-dimensional object from a digital file. The file includes instructions that allow the printer to construct the object layer by layer, until it has finished creating the entire object. SLS is an advanced form of powder bed laser sintering (PBSD) — which combines selective laser sintering with 3D printing. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Selective Laser Sintering – its common applications, primary benefits, and alternative methods for procuring or licensing software for SLS.

What is Selective Laser Sintering?

Selective Laser Sintering is a leading 3D printing technology used for manufacturing industrial parts on demand. It combines selective laser sintering with 3D printing to produce a hybrid method known as SLS. It can use a variety of materials, including nylon, polyethylene, polycarbonate, and ceramics. SLS is an additive manufacturing process that uses a laser to sinter powdered materials into a fully dense, fully finished product. It does this by fusing powdered materials together with a laser. This process allows for the creation of fully dense parts with no need for support materials or post-processing. All of these features make SLS ideal for manufacturing complex, high-quality parts for industries like aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods.

Why is Selective Laser Sintering so popular?

Selective Laser Sintering works with a number of different materials, including thermoplastic polymers, ceramics, metals, and carbon-fiber materials. To be clear, however, SLS uses a laser to fuse powdered materials together—not a typical printer that squirts out melted materials. As a result, parts produced through SLS are fully dense with no need for support materials or post-processing. Part of what makes SLS so popular is that it is truly flexible, allowing businesses to create one-of-a-kind parts or produce thousands of identical parts. It also has a short lead time and can work with a variety of materials, making it ideal for a range of industries and applications.

Which Companies Use Selective Laser Sintering?

Selective Laser Sintering is used in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods. In aerospace, SLS is used to produce engine parts and other aircraft components. In the automotive industry, SLS is used to manufacture interior, exterior, and engine components. Finally, healthcare organizations use SLS to make dental crowns, implants, and surgical guides. In the consumer goods industry, SLS can be used to create everything from toys and sporting goods to home goods like kitchen appliances and furniture.

How to License or Acquire Selective Laser Sintering Software?

If you decide to use Selective Laser Sintering, you’ll need to license or acquire SLS software. These programs will walk you through the 3D design process, show you which materials to use, and provide instructions for creating and printing your finished product. They can be expensive, but there are financing options available to make it more affordable. Once you’ve decided which SLS software to use, you can purchase it outright. Alternatively, some companies allow you to rent their software or lease it on a monthly basis. Be sure to discuss payment plans with your provider to see what works best for your business.

3D Printing with Selective Laser Sintering

Once you’ve designed your part in the SLS software, you can upload the design to the SLS machine. The machine then uses the design to create a build chamber that allows you to place the powdered material inside. The machine then uses a laser to sinter the powdered material together, creating your finished product. You can also use SLS to create molds by feeding a negative of your part into the machine. Once the machine has created the mold, you can pour the material you want to create a part with into the mold. As the material cures, it captures the shape of the mold, producing a positive part.

Limitations of Selective Laser Sintering

Although Selective Laser Sintering is an exciting technology, it isn’t perfect. First, it is expensive. The machine and materials can run thousands of dollars, with the licensing and software costing even more. It also takes time to create parts through SLS, which can make it difficult for businesses that need parts quickly. Finally, while SLS can create highly detailed parts, it can’t print in the same way a full 3D printer can. As a result, it may not be the best option for creating detailed parts.

Alternatives to Selective Laser Sintering

If you’re thinking about using SLS but want to find out if there are better options out there, you’re in luck. There are a number of other 3D printing technologies available. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a type of 3D printing where melted plastic is squirted onto a build plate. The plate then moves up, creating the object as the melted plastic hardens into a finished product. This technology is cheaper than SLS and can create more intricate designs. However, it can’t create parts as quickly. Nanoscribe Photonic Laser Sintering is a form of SLS that uses a laser beam to sinter powdered materials together with nanometric precision. It is suited for the production of very small parts with high accuracy. Like FFF, it is also cheaper than SLS. However, it is slower than SLS and can’t create as many parts in a single run.

Final Words: Where is Selective Laser Sintering heading?

Despite its limitations, Selective Laser Sintering is a great 3D printing technology. Over the next few years, we expect the cost of SLS to come down and its production speed to increase. This means that it will be an even more attractive option for businesses and manufacturers looking to create high-quality parts on demand.