Filament 3D printers are great, but they are usually limited in size.Laser sintering printers provide huge print beds, but they also carry a price tag of $250,000.What should we do?Well, thanks to OpenSLS, it is possible to turn your laser cutting machine into your own SLS 3D printer.
We have introduced OpenSLS many times before, but it looks like it has finally become a more complete (and usable) solution.Recently published a research article on open source selective laser sintering (OpenSLS0 of nylon and biocompatible polycaprolactone (PDF)), which details the design and structure.
The team has created hardware that can turn a laser cutter with a bed size of 60 cm x 90 cm into an SLS printer.beauty?Most of the hardware is laser cut, which means you can already convert a laser cutter into a 3D printer.
The design files can be found on their GitHub.The hardware may cost you about $2,000, which is peanuts compared to a commercial laser sintered printer.There is a lot of information in their articles-we can’t cover much information in one article.If you finally build one, please let us know!
I have to click on one of the links to figure out what they are talking about.I’m asking, what is SLS first?Lol “Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing process that uses a laser to fuse powdered raw materials into a solid 3D structure.”
I want to know if it is possible to use low melting point metal alloys.I know that large commercial SLS drilling rigs can use aluminum or even steel, but the melting point of some white metals should be within the range of laser cutting machines.
However, metal is generally more reflective and thermally conductive than plastic, so although I expect it to work, it may be easier to apply heat more directly, such as the 3D welding robot reported by hackaday last year http://hackaday.com/ 2015/06/13/6-axis-robot-arm-3d-prints-a-metal-bridge/
Well, some industrial units use laser sintering in this way, so it can be done.The reflection index of many powdered metals is in the same range as the reflection index of powdered plastics.In addition, there are many zinc alloys with reasonable MP that should be within the range of laser cutting machines.The real question is, I think, whether these alloys are useful manufacturing materials.
The front end of industrial equipment usually has polarizing optics to absorb or divert the reflected beam away from the laser source.At present, this situation does not exist with CO2 lasers.In addition, unless there is a good argon filling or vacuum in the enclosure, most metals will only oxidize (or burn).The complexity and cost of metal processing are increasing rapidly.
What you wrote is true, which is why I considered using canned metal or some brazing alloy that is feasible at a reasonable temperature.
I will try brazing alloys.I think they will provide the best results with the smallest chance of metal poisoning.
The picture of OLD_HACK is worth noting: it is a blue laser.For bare metal, the absorption spectrum will be more effective than CO2 laser.This also means that much less beam is reflected back to the laser and therefore unstable.
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2011/04/laser-marking-how-to-choose-the-best-laser-for-your-marking-application.html
In this case, the wavelength does not matter.The change in the absorption characteristics of metals in the wavelength range of 400nm to 10um is not enough to play a role here.The more important characteristic is the reflectivity due to surface flatness and quality.Compared with an irregular surface, a flat surface can reflect more light back to the surface.
Diode lasers are more sensitive to back reflections.End face damage, wavelength instability, and beam pattern structure changes may occur.Faraday isolation can be used to alleviate this potential problem.
Gas lasers (such as the CO2 lasers involved here) will not be damaged by back reflections. In fact, this technique can be used to purposefully perform Q-switching to achieve greater pulse peak power.
Maybe use Nd:YAG lasers, ytterbium fiber lasers or similar lasers, which are usually used to cut metals instead of using CO2 lasers.At these relatively low ~50W power levels, the 10um laser from the CO2 laser is well absorbed by organic materials (such as plastic), but it will not have any effect on the metal.
What is the particle size of the starting plastic material?Hope it is relatively large and cannot spread in the air, because if plastic particles get into the air and stick to your mirror, lens, and output coupler, you will soon have a bad day.
In order to alleviate this situation, the optics must be completely isolated from the “work area” to prevent plastic powder from entering.
Hi, just to tell you this is good news!!The company I work for, we produce and manufacture powders for SLS PA12, PA11, TPU, and polycaprolactone and waxes for sls.I really think this is the technology of the future!!If you need customized sls materials, please feel free to contact me!marga.bardeci@advanc3dmaterials.com
I think laser sintering joints would be cool-no paper needed!Can you provide materials?
Well, I can’t provide it to you.This 
This might be a good idea for the Netherlands 
.But I know that some people have made sintered paper, as well as sintered sugar and nesquick.
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Post time: Dec-27-2021