Direct Metal Printing Vs Laser Sintering

This guide covers the direct metal laser sintering process as well as.

Direct metal printing vs laser sintering. Learn all about direct metal laser sintering one of few 3d printing technologies capable of making parts directly from metal. Metal sintering processes exist for 3d printing too. Selective laser sintering sls is an additive manufacturing am technique that uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered material typically nylon or polyamide aiming the laser automatically at points in space defined by a 3d model binding the material together to create a solid structure it is similar to selective laser melting. Direct metal laser sintering is the most widely used metal 3d printing technology.

A laser is slowly and steadily moved across the surface to sinter this powder which means that the particles inside the metal are fused together even though the metal is not heated enough to allow it to melt completely. The two are instantiations of the same concept. Direct metal laser sintering involves spreading a very thin layer of metal powder across the surface that is to be printed. Direct metal laser sintering dmls is a metal 3d printing technology that creates parts from metal powder.

Many major valuable 3d printing companies including 3d systems slm solutions concept laser and eos sell dmls metal 3d printers that are able to create incredibly intricate metal parts and 3d printed jewelry from precious metals. These machines print a metal and binder combination layer by layer in a similar way to traditional filament 3d printer or material jetting printer. A direct metal laser sintering dmls 3d printing machine is capable of producing highly complex features and all in one assemblies using metal materials that would be hard to achieve with more traditional subtractive manufacturing techniques such as cnc milling or turning. However the success of your dmls 3d printing project depends to a large extent on the quality of 3d cad model design.

The dmlm process is very similar except that the material is completely melted to create ultra thin liquid pools which solidify as they cool. To many slm is considered to be a subcategory of selective laser sintering. This technology is capable of producing highly detailed and complex parts with excellent precision. Dmls uses a high power laser to melt and fuse fine metallic powders together based on a 3d cad design file.

The metal mass is then placed into a furnace and sintered fusing the particles together without melting it.