Selective Laser Sintering
(SLS) 3D Printing Services

Prototypes & End Use Parts

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an industrial additive manufacturing technology that uses lasers to selectively fuse powdered materials. Parts have excellent mechanical properties, throughput, accuracy and finish, making it valuable for both prototyping and production applications.

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What is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)?

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an industrial additive manufacturing process that fuses together powdered thermoplastic polymers using a high powered laser. The laser selectively sinters the particles of the powder and binds it together to create a solid structure, layer by layer. SLS offers fantastic part throughput with its unique ability to nest thousands of parts within the boundaries of the machine without the need for support structures. This allows it to be used not only for rapid prototyping, but also for high volume manufacturing of end-use parts. SLS offers 5 high performance 3D printed materials that offer durability, electric static dissipation, temperature resistance, USP Class VI Biocompatibility, and/or Flame, Smoke Toxicity (FST) UL-94 ratings.

Manufacturing using Selective Laser Sintering 3D printing services is ideal for producing parts that look, feel and perform like end-use parts. They offer a uniform matte finish with little to no visible layer lines. Functionally they perform exceptionally well in demanding applications, offering consistent mechanical properties, abrasion resistance and excellent impact resistance. This makes SLS 3D printing a great substitute for injection molding or functional rapid prototyping at low to mid sized production volumes.

26" x 22"

Max X/Y Build Volume

± 0.25

MM Part Tolerances

High Performance Materials

2-5 Day

Average Lead Time

Engineering Materials| Selective Laser Sintering

White PA12

Black PA12

ESD

Glass Filled

TPU

Nylon PA12

Durable Polymer for Prototyping & Production

Nylon PA12 (PA 2200) is a highly functional polyamide material that provides a consistent surface finish, excellent resolution and feature detail. PA 2200 is ideal for both functional prototyping as well as end use applications that require complex thin wall parts, chemical resistance, snap fits and/or low vibration resistance. PA 2200 is biocompatbile according to EN ISO 10993-1 and USP/Level VI/121 °C

MEASUREMENT	VALUE	STANDARD
Tensile Strength, Yield	50 MPa	ISO 527
Tensile Modulus	1,700 MPa	ISO 527
Elongation at Break	24 %	ASTM D638
Izod Impact Strength	32 kJ/m²	ISO 180
Heat Deflection Temperature	154°C @ 0.65 MPa	ASTM D648

Material Data Sheet

Black Nylon PA12

Durable Black Parts for Prototyping & Production

Black PA12 is a highly functional polyamide material impregnated with black dye to offer a uniform matte black surface finish, along with excellent resolution and feature detail. Black Nylon PA 12 is ideal for both functional prototyping as well as end use applications that require complex thin wall parts, chemical resistance, snap fits and/or low vibration resistance in a black finish.

MEASUREMENT	VALUE	STANDARD
Tensile Strength, Yield	50 MPa	ISO 527
Tensile Modulus	1,700 MPa	ISO 527
Elongation at Break	24 %	ASTM D638
Izod Impact Strength	32 kJ/m²	ISO 180
Heat Deflection Temperature	154°C @ 0.65 MPa	ASTM D648

Material Data Sheet

Nylon ESD

Electrostatic Dissipative Nylon 12

Nylon ESD is a functional Nylon12 polyamide impregnated with a permanent electrostatic dissipative coating to minimize the risk of electrostatic charge. The material is coated with a 844AR Aerosol by MG chemicals which is cured at room temperate and will not crack peel or chip during typical use.

MEASUREMENT	VALUE	STANDARD
Tensile Strength, Yield	50 MPa	ISO 527
Tensile Modulus	1,700 MPa	ISO 527
Elongation at Break	24 %	ASTM D638
Izod Impact Strength	32 kJ/m²	ISO 180
Heat Deflection Temperature	120°C @ 0.65 MPa	ASTM D648

Material Data Sheet

Nylon Glass Filled

High Rigidity Glass Filled Nylon

Nylon GF is a glass filled polyamide material ideal for creating exceptionally stiff & hard parts for both prototyping and functional end-use applications. Glass Filled Nylon is best for applications that require high heat resistance and dimensional stability. The unique glass filled infill helps prevent warping and breaking making it a great material for creating large functional parts.

MEASUREMENT	VALUE	STANDARD
Tensile Strength, Yield	51 MPa	ISO 527
Tensile Modulus	3,200 MPa	ISO 527
Elongation at Break	9%	ISO 527
Izod Impact Strength	35 kJ/m²	ISO 179
Heat Deflection Temperature	179°C @ 0.45 MPa	ISO 75

Material Data Sheet

TPU 88A

Flexible & Resilient Thermoplastic Polyurethane

TPU 88A is a strong, flexible, and durable properties, combined with its excellent surface quality and level of detail, make it a versatile material for various applications. Its stable white color facilitates easy finishing processes, and its suitability for sports protection equipment, footwear, orthopaedic models, car interior components, and industrial tools highlights its adaptability across different industries.

MEASUREMENT	VALUE	STANDARD
Tensile Strength, Yield	20 MPa	ISO 527
Flextural Modulus	72 MPa	ISO 527
Elongation at Break	520%	ISO 527
Compression Strength	40 MPa	ISO 604
Heat Deflection Temperature	90°C @ 0.45 MPa	ISO 75

Material Data Sheet

Material Surface Finishes | Selective Laser Sintering

Matte White

Surrounding powder is removed and part is media blasted to offer a uniform finish

Matte Black

Surrounding powder is removed, part is media blasted, and then deep colour dyed black for a uniform finish

Design Guidelines | Selective Laser Sintering

View Full Design Guidelines

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a 3D printing process that uses a high-powered laser to selectively fuse powdered materials into a solid object. The laser melts the powder at the desired points, layer by layer, until the object is complete. SLS is known for its ability to produce complex and durable parts with a high degree of accuracy. This design guidelines covers specific design parameters, which will need to be followed to prevent part failures from occurring which may delay orders. We have set minimum allowed tolerances to ensure your parts are built successfully and perform to the the highest standards of the technology.

Maximum Build Volume

700mm x 380mm x 580mm (28” x 15” x 23”)

Our SLS machines by EOS have a building volume of: 700 mm x 380 mm x 580 mm (28 x 15 x 23 in.), a standard layer thickness of 100 um, and a laser diameter of 0.4mm with a laser offset of 0.25mm. SLS offers excellent part accuracy and repeatability with most parts being within +/- 0.25mm. Tighter tolerances are achievable upon request.

Tolerances

±0.25%, with a lower limit of ±0.25 mm

Typically, the dimensional accuracy of SLS parts is within +/- 0.3 mm (0.012 inches) per 25.4 mm (1 inch) of part dimension. However, the accuracy can be improved by post-processing techniques such as CNC machining or sanding. If your project requires tighter tolerances, please provide us with engineering drawings along with your quote request.

Layer Height

60 - 100 Microns

The layer height is the overall Z resolution of the part; we avoid stepping artifacts on important features of your models by orienting the part(s) along the Z plane or at a 20 degree angle on all sides. Unless otherwise specified, all SLS parts are printed at a 100 micron layer height.

Surface Finish

Uniform, Matte

Parts produced using SLS provide a uniform finish with excellent mechanical properties and abrasion resistance, making it a suitable substitute for injection molding as well as functional prototyping alike. We also offer in-house dying and painting services to take your parts to the next level.

Optimizing your designs for Selective Laser Sintering will help keep manufacturing costs down. Price is primarily based upon the X, Y, & Z extents of your part. Small, dense parts are priced the most competitively in this technology. Wall thickness has less of effect on the cost of manufacturing your part than the overall size of it.

Why Use Selective Laser Sintering?

Selective Laser Sintering is capable of producing parts with high geometric complexity, including internal features and complex shapes, which would be challenging to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. This makes it suitable for lightweight structures, custom medical implants, and other intricate designs. The batch production capability of SLS allows multiple parts to be produced simultaneously, making it suitable for small-scale manufacturing and rapid prototyping. It can also be easily scaled up for larger production volumes.

SLS-produced parts closely mimic the mechanical properties of the final product, making them suitable for functional prototyping. This enables designers and engineers to test the form, fit, and function of a part before committing to mass production. The material properties of SLS-produced parts, including mechanical strength, durability, and heat resistance, are exceptional. The resulting parts exhibit excellent isotropic properties, meaning they have consistent material characteristics in all directions.