Ruling over 30 years as one of the oldest forms of 3D printing technologies, Selective Laser Sintering or SLS has evolved with time since its inception. The materials used and the application of the process has expanded to a vast extent.
SLS 3d printing services is a part of the additive manufacturing technique where fine layers of the material are melted and bonded to form a solid object. The process is powered by Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) that creates a three-dimensional design of the prototype. Superfine layers of the powdered material are sintered and fused with the aid of a laser beam to achieve the design of the 3D model.
Initially, nylon was most extensively used for the SLS 3D printing service. It is a highly durable and stable thermoplastic that possesses the ability to withstand the impact of heat, water, chemicals, dirt, and ultra-violet rays.
The Emergence of Raw Materials for SLS 3D Printing
Though nylon remains the most popular choice for the process, technological advancement has led to the evolution of other types of nylon composites that come with enhanced thermal and mechanical attributes. Often glass fibre, aluminium, and carbon fibre coalesced with nylon for boosting the strength and sustainability of the polyamide.
Apart from this, today sls 3d printing even uses inflammable polymers, anti-static polymers, flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and polyaryletherketone (PAEK).
Some chemical components like polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and ultrasint polyamide PA6 black FR have gained popularity due to their superior thermal property, chemical resistance and stiffness. These materials are readily applied for commercial purposes.
Implementation of SLS 3D Printing
There is a wide application of SLS in various fields. These typically include:
Dental implants, orthodontic parts, prosthetics, anatomical models, training aids, etc are largely manufactured through the SLS technique.
Aerospace and automobile industries use SLS to produce a large array of mechanical parts.
Architectural models of estates, office layouts, buildings, and landscapes are easily fabricated by the use of SLS.
The field of art explores an expansive range of SLS products like models, mannequins, etc.
The fashion industry also relies on sls printing service to create costumes in one piece without the need for stitching.
Hence, selective laser sintering is incessantly under evolution and a very promising mode of 3D printing due to the diverse use of raw materials.
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