High-resolution 3D printer (1): The ultimate guide
to useSLS 3D printing creates parts with a smoother surface than FDM 3D printing and often does not require post-processing finishing (Source: Sinterit)
selective laser sintering(SLS) uses lasers to create objects from plastic powder. It’s very precise and the layers are almost imperceptible. Manufacturers turn to SLS 3D printing when they want to create parts or components with a smooth surface finish using engineering-grade materials, such as carbon fiber-filled nylon or flexible TPU.
SLS 3D printers are faster than FDM and have a greater capacity to produce small batches of parts in a single print cycle. Prints can be easily dyed and polished, making them virtually indistinguishable from injection molded parts.
Applications range from jigs and fixtures to functional prototypes.
This process is inStarts in the 3D printer, where the cover blade spreads a very thin layer of powdered material onto the build platform. A laser (CO2 or optical fiber) then scans the surface according to a pattern drawn in the digital model. The laser selectively sinters the powder and solidifies the cross section of the object. A new layer of energy is deposited on top and the process repeats.
The word resolution is inSLS 3D printers rarely appear in technical specifications and it is difficult to give a clear number. Layer height is the primary measurable characteristic used by many SLS printer manufacturers to express resolution, with 50 microns considered the standard minimum layer height (apart from micro SLS). Powder materials can have different minimum spreading thicknesses, which also determine the minimum possible layer height.
selective laser sintering(SLS) 3D printing features high surface finish and rich part details (Source: Formlabs)
WhenWhen SLS printer manufacturers talk about resolution, it almost always means XY resolution. Like lasers used in SLA 3D printing, XY resolution is a measure of the incremental control of the laser beam. Laser control is also listed as a precision measurement, which is the most common measurement. Therefore, the resolution of an SLS printer corresponds to the precision. Laser spot size (if disclosed by the manufacturer) is less relevant in SLS than in SLA.
Daguang focuses on providing solutions such as precision CNC machining services (3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis machining), CNC milling, 3D printing and rapid prototyping services.
