SLS process.
Plastic powder.
Functional prototypes.
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Laser fuses plastic powder layer by layer. Standard for functional nylon prototypes and production.
Key principles.
Laser + powder
Powder bed. Single laser fuses one layer. Bed lowers, new powder.
Standard material
Polyamide 12 most common. Production-grade properties.
Stiffness
30% glass for higher modulus. Functional applications.
Powder supports
Surrounding powder supports parts. No support structures.
380×280×380
Standard build size. Larger machines available.
Ra 5-15 µm
As-built rough. Bead blast for matte. Vapor smooth limited.
FAQ
SLS vs MJF?
Both PA12. SLS: laser per layer. MJF: print head + IR lamp. MJF faster, better consistency.
Tolerance?
±0.2 mm typical. ±0.05 mm with care + post-machining.
Powder reuse?
30-50% blend with virgin powder. Older powder lower quality.
Production-grade?
Yes — SLS production for aerospace, medical, automotive low-volume.
Heat treatment?
Annealing post-print improves dimensional stability. Standard for production parts.
Cost?
Per part roughly volume of bounding box. Pack multiple parts in build for cost-effective.