Our SLS 3D printing is perfect for producing strong, functional parts on demand. Upload your model & order to anywhere in the UK within minutes.
We use Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing to offer you the highest-quality, most durable parts available with additive.
Material: PA12 Nylon – DuraForm ProX
Layer thickness: 250.0 mu
Delivery: 10 Working days
Colour: White
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) works by fusing Nylon (PA12) together using a powerful laser. The process falls under the powder bed fusion category, utilizing compact PA12 to support and produce strong end-use components.
Substituting support material for powder gives us complete control when orientating your design and simultaneously eliminates the risk of potential scarring. For low-volume production runs, SLS pricing tends to be significantly more affordable than traditional manufacturing methods.
SLS is known for its high printing tolerance and is extremely tough and durable. It is trusted by engineers and manufactures across various industries, not only for its strength, but its ability to produce end-use functional parts, ready for any application.
Each SLS print yields near-to-invisible layer lines. Instead, they have a grainy textured finish to them. If you or your company are looking for complex geometries without layer lines, we highly recommend this technology for its accuracy alone.
SLS is fantastic at printing products that need to have strong and functional characteristics. This is due to the complete freedom we have when orientating your 3D models. The lack of support allows us to print your parts in one, resulting in fully functional products.
The use of powder bed fusion means there is no required support material. Instead, the thermoplastic material used (PA 12) supports your prints. Once the print is finished, the excess material is removed and reused in a new nylon mix.
SLS has an extremely strong adhesion rate compared to its alternatives, including the likes of PETG and PLA. SLS takes a different approach to FDM, making use of powder bed fusion to fuse each sheet together. It utilizes a high-powered laser cutter to sinter together thermoplastics. This printing method mixed with natural isotropic properties makes for products with great tensile strength, durability, and elongation. We highly recommend SLS if you’re looking to batch manufacture, end-use, functional products.
SLS has been the go to for many companies when it comes to rapid prototyping and batch production. It’s reliable, strong, precise, and extremely fast at producing multiple prints at once. This is due to the nature of not needing support material, giving us complete freedom when orientating your prints. The printing chamber allows for multiple parts to be stacked on top of each other with zero drawbacks, making it perfect for those looking to print multiple high-resolution parts in one.
Each print leaves the powder bed with a distinct grainy texture. This is due to the process of fusing the raw nylon (PA 12) together. If you want this matte black finish at a cheaper price point, our carbon fibre PETG offers a good alternative.
Check out the FAQ section below for tips on hand-finishing your SLS order.
We offer a selection of other filaments through the FDM printing process, compare their advantages below.
Our engineering FDM is the ultimate choice for high-performance applications.
Typically, we aim to get your prints to you within 10 working days. This may be slightly faster or slower depending on the size and number of parts.
We currently use ProX 6100 SLS 3D printers to fulfill your order. The machine's maximum print dimensions are 280 x 330 x 420 mm. That being said if you do need a bigger print, we frequently print larger models that have been split into sections to be assembled after printing.
SLS 3D printing is slightly different from the likes of FDM and PLA. Rather than using filament and support material, it works by using a Nylon polymer powder called polyamide 12 or PA 12. The powder is placed into a build chamber, then through a manufacturing process called powder bed fusion, the print begins to take shape. A high-powered carbon dioxide laser heats specific areas across the PA 12 powder. The thermoplastic is fused together layer by layer, each new layer of powder bonding with the last. Finally, the product is dug out from the supporting powder resulting in a finished robust 3D print.
SLS prints come out the machine with a matt / grainy finish. All prints start off white, however, the print can go under some post-processing in the form of black dye.
Let us know if you need a black or grey part and we will try our best to accomodate.
Yes, you can hand finish your SLS prints. There are a number of ways of doing so. Here are a few options:
Sanding
If you decide to sand your SLS 3D prints, use wet & dry sandpaper of around 400 grit. Please take into consideration that the black paper can in some cases stain the prints, so make sure to swap over the paper frequently, and use plenty of water when sanding.
Painting
Our SLS prints come in white as standard, which leaves a lot of room for you to put your own creative touch onto your prints. Keep in mind that the prints come out with a grainy texture which will need to be sorted before applying paint. We recommend that you start with a primer and one last light sand before applying your first coat of acrylic paint.
Gluing
Being that the SLS 3D prints are of a grainy finish, it is required that more glue is used when attempting to bond parts together. We recommend epoxy resin like Araldite or a thick super glue.
Nylon PA 12 powder is nontoxic, biodegradable and biocompatible. However, we recommend you take care when considering to use SLS (Selective laser sintering) around food, especially those that have been dyed. Please use at your own risk.
We’re ready for your enquiry. Please fill out the form and someone will get back to you as soon as possible or you can give us a call.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
