What does Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) primarily fuse?

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing process that primarily works with powdered materials. In SLS, a laser is directed onto a bed of powdered material—commonly plastics, ceramics, or even metals—to selectively fuse the particles together layer by layer. This fusion occurs at a temperature just below the melting point of the material, allowing the powder to bond without fully melting it. The result is the creation of solid structures from the previously loose powder.

The process is highly versatile, especially in producing complex geometries and parts with intricate details that would be difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. This capability allows SLS to be widely used in prototyping and production applications across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and consumer products.

Understanding the basic mechanics and capabilities of SLS is crucial in grasping how it differs from other additive manufacturing techniques, which typically work with different state changes of materials, such as curing liquids into solids or layering sheets of thermoplastic materials.