Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
Selective laser sintering uses a co2 laser to fuse powdered materials. As the laser contacts the powder bed, it raises the material to its sintering temperature to create a layer of solid part geometry.
The Process
- STL file is sliced to create layers*
- laser draws the bottom-most layer
- powder is spread over completed layer
- the process is repeated for subsequent layers
- upon completion, the powder cake is removed
- part is extracted from the loose powder
As the co2 laser scans across the powder bed, it brings the material to the melting point. At this temperature, individual particles bond at their contact points to solidify a layer of the prototype. The depth to which the powder solidifies is a function of laser power and material sintering temperature. Solidifying a single layer is controlled by passing the laser over the powder bed at a speed that imparts the necessary level of energy.
* 3D Prototype Design builds only at 0.004" to offer the best resolution available to our customers. The typical layer thickness for the SLS® process is between 0.004" & 0.006".
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
The FDM process forms three-dimensional plastic models and objects from CAD generated 3D solid or 3D surface models.
The 3D drawing is then ‘sliced’ by custom software into horizontal layers .010" thick. Support is automatically or custom generated based on the position and geometry of the part. Tool-paths are then created; path data is reviewed, changed if necessary and then downloaded to the FDM machine.
A temperature-controlled head extrudes abs or polycarbonate plastic material, layer by layer. It draws the prototype one layer at a time, similar to how a hot glue gun extrudes melted beads of glue. The designed object emerges as a solid three-dimensional part without the need for tooling.
