Laser sintering

…Selective Laser Sintering or SLS uses a high-powered laser,…to fuse particles a powdered nylon to create 3D prints.…The process starts with a thin bed of nylon or polyamide powder.…A laser scans the surface of the powder…sintering or fusing the powder into a solid cross-section.…The bed then lowers and a roller spreads a new surface…of powder on the surface. Then the laser sinters the next layer.…Designs are typically packed really tightly, to…make the best use of the print volume.…

When the build is complete you're left with a stack of powder.…The 3D objects, are picked out, and a leftover…loose powder, is reused in a future print run.…Standard SLS prints are typically white, with a slightly rough surface finish.…The surface is porous and absorbs water.…Thin design features are flexible and quite strong.…Thicker walls are solid and durable.…The bed of powder creates an inherent support for the prints.…There's no support material to melt or cut away.…

Parts are cleaned with compressed air to remove excess powder.…