SLS 3D Printing Materials - Aurum3D

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SLS 3D Printing Materials
3D printing technologies differ from each other
in many categories including materials or
filaments. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS),
unlike other widely used 3D printing technology,
produces product prototypes and end parts by
sintering thermoplastic powder.
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An SLS printer forms solid parts by sintering and
fusing thermoplastic powder using a high-power
laser. The thermoplastic powder makes SLS 3D
printing technology effective in producing parts
with higher toughness, impact strength, and
dimensional accuracy.
Also, they speed up the additive manufacturing
process by requiring no support structure. While
planning an additive manufacturing project, you
have the option to choose from a wide range of
SLS 3D printers. The conventional SLS 3D printers
support a single or specific material.
But the new-generation SLS 3D printers allow you
to use and mix multiple materials. Based on your
choice of a 3D printer, you have the option to
choose from a wide range of materials for SLS 3D
printing.
The materials used in SLS 3D printing differ from
each other in many aspects, including tensile
strength, heat deflection, and tensile
modulation. You must keep in mind the nature and
requirements of the part to be printed while
comparing SLS 3D printing materials.
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However, it is also important to compare the
characteristics of each SLS 3D printing
filaments. We are making it easier for you to
choose the right SLS 3D printing materials for
your next project by comparing their key
characteristics.
Different Types of SLS 3D Printing Materials
The materials or filaments used in SLS 3D
printing can be divided into three broad
categories general-purpose/unfilled, filled,
and specialty. General-purpose 3D printing
materials for SLS are unfilled nylon powder. They
are often used for producing parts that do not
require specific mechanical features.
At the same time, filled SLS 3D printing
materials are produced by filling nylon with
mineral fiber, glass additives, aluminum, or
carbon fiber. The filling makes the nylon powder
stiffer or more heat resistant. The specialty SLS
3D printing materials meet the requirements of
parts with higher heat and chemical resistance
properties.
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Distinct Characteristics of Widely-Used SLS 3D
Printing Materials
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PA 11 Black (PA 850)
PA 12 White (PA 650)
PA 850 is one of the most popular general-purpose
nylon materials for SLS 3D printing. The
mechanical properties of PA 11 Black deliver
flexibility and ductility. Also, the materials
heat resistance and tensile strength remain
intact throughout the 3D printing process. At the
same time, its black color adds high contrast and
low reflectivity to the 3D-printed part while
keeping the grease, grime, and dirt hidden.
Engineers opt for PA 650 as a general purpose SLS
3D printing material that delivers higher
ductility. PA 650 is much stronger than other
unfilled nylon filaments for SLS 3D printing.
Also, it scores over PA 850 in the category of
stiffness. PA 650 improves print quality by
adding mechanical properties and chemical
resistance.
PA12 40 Glass-Filled (PA614-GS)
PA12 Mineral-Filled (PA620-MF)
This material is produced by filling PA 12 with
40 of the glass sphere. In addition to
increasing PA 12s stiffness and heat resistance,
the glass sphere adds dimensional stability to
the filament. But the glass additives reduce both
impact and tensile strengths of the materials.
Engineers opt for PA12 40 Glass-Filled
(PA614-GS) while producing parts that need to
resist wear and tear over a longer period of time.
As the name suggests, this 3D printing material
is produced by mixing nylon and mineral fiber.
The mineral fiber constitutes 25 of the
filament.  The filling enhances PA 12s strength,
stiffness, and heat-resistance capacity
drastically. Engineers opt for PA620-MF to
produce parts that need to achieve maximum
strength and higher temperature resistance.
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Aluminum-Filled Nylon (Alumide)
This filled SLS 3D printing filament is produced
by adding fine aluminum particles to polyamide
powder. The aluminum particles increase the
density of alumide. Also, they enhance alumides
thermal and conductive properties. Engineers opt
for aluminum-filled nylon while producing parts
with a metallic appearance. Also, the material is
best suited for producing mechanical parts that
do not experience high stress.
Carbon-Fiber Filled Nylon (PA-FR)
PA-FR outperforms other 3D printing materials in
the category of structural properties. The
filament is produced by blending chopped carbon
fiber with general-purpose nylon filaments. The
blending makes the output stronger than other
filaments. Also, engineers often opt for PA-FR
due to its excellent electrostatically
dissipative characteristics. In addition to being
sturdy and lightweight, PA-FR is effective in
resisting both wear and temperature.
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You can have the option to choose from a wide
range of 3D printing materials for SLS 3D
Printing according to the precise needs of a
project. You can combine and use multiple
materials by investing in a multi-material SLS 3D
printer. Similarly, you can experiment with
different 3D printing materials by getting
professional SLS 3D printing services. But you
must remember that the materials for SLS 3D
printing differ from each other in many
categories. Also, each of the materials has its
pros and cons. Hence, you can improve the print
quality only by differentiating SLS 3D printing
materials based on their key characteristics.
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About aurum3d.com Aurum3D is a 3D printing
company founded in September 2018 for bringing a
difference in education, technology, and start-up
space, by promoting and leveraging 3D printing
technology in India. Aurum3D strongly believes
that 3D printing technology will disrupt the
entire manufacturing industry and consumer
experience perspective. We provide custom 3D
printing, 3D designing and scanning solutions to
our prestigious clients across the country. We
also have our own 3D printers manufacturing setup
producing different variants to cater to the
needs of industry and individuals.
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