SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)
Working from a CAD model, the SLS process (Selective Laser Sintering) uses a hot CO2 laser to sinter layers of nylon powder.
The truly functional nature of SLS prototypes enables the incorporation of features such as clips and living hinges. The material has good structural strength, allied to high temperature and chemical resistance.
Both unfilled and glass filled nylon are available.
Unfilled SLS particularly good for clip and hinge features, whilst glass filled is often used where additional stiffness is required.
Because of the self-supporting nature of an SLS build, parts can be stacked 3 dimensionally, unlike SLA and other 3D print systems where you can only build on a 2D plate. This effectively allows models to be built on top of each other, meaning more parts per build and a lower unit cost.
Please call us if you require a sample of SLS material to aid your material & prototyping choice.