Direct Metal Laser Sintering Vs Selective Laser Sintering

Selective laser sintering sls is an additive manufacturing am technique that uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered material typically nylon or polyamide aiming the laser automatically at points in space defined by a 3d model binding the material together to create a solid structure it is similar to selective laser melting.

Direct metal laser sintering vs selective laser sintering. Selective laser melting produces printed objects that are extremely dense and strong. Learn all about direct metal laser sintering one of few 3d printing technologies capable of making parts directly from metal. 25 years ago it was indeed sintering as the founder of eos invented it. Another method of 3d metal printing is selective laser melting slm in which a high powered laser fully melts each layer of metal powder rather than just sintering it.

Fused deposition modeling laser sintering ls and fused deposition modeling fdm are like the peyton manning and cam newton of 3d printing two of the best quarterbacks in the league one about ten years older than the other ls was commercialized in around 1980 and fdm around 1990 and currently both at the top of their game. The laser power wasn t very high so the particles merely sintered together and then you had to run the parts through a hot isostatic press hip secondary process to try and reduce the voids. To many slm is considered to be a subcategory of selective laser sintering. But people continue to call this process dmls direct metal laser sintering.

3d printing isn t just confined to plastic. Selective laser melting on the other hand can do the same as sintering and go one further by using the laser to achieve a full melt meaning the powder is not merely fused together but is actually melted into a homogenous part. The ultimate 3d printing match up. Discover the steps involved in 3d printing metal with direct metal laser sintering.

Currently selective laser melting can only be used with certain. That makes melting the way to go for a monomaterial as there s just one melting point not the variety you d find in an alloy. Selective laser sintering and direct metal laser sintering are essentially the same thing with sls used to refer to the process as applied to a variety of materials plastics glass ceramics whereas dmls refers to the process as applied to metal alloys.