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SLS - Selective Laser Sintering
Duraform Polyamide & Duraform GF 30%
The Duraform Polyamide and Duraform 30% GF Nylon materials used in the SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) system offers the most durable prototype parts from any RP system. The tough Nylon 12 is heat resistant up to 150ºC and is the obvious choice for functional prototypes that are to be used in working situations.
The Duraform Polyamide material still offers the only effective solution to living-hinges direct from an RP machine. With an improved accuracy and smoother surface quality this system now suits all manufacturing sectors. The GF 30% material offers a much stiffer and slightly higher HTD, to where a more rigid structure is required. Please refer to the CRDM Tolerance Standards for SLS tolerances.
SLS - Selective Laser Sintering prices are generally lower than SLA modeling due to the reduced post finishing required from this powder based system. The self supporting powder system also has the advantage of a multiple build option where large numbers of the same component can be built in one build, drastically reducing the individual part cost. This has applications for direct manufacturing and low-volume prototype runs.
New Structural SLS Material
Windform XT
CRDM has introduced a new generation of structural SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) material to complement the Duraform materials.
One of these is ‘Windform XT'. A naturally black, carbon filled, light weight, material which has been specifically designed for wind tunnel usage. The 0.05mm long carbon strand makes up 50% of the total density.
Its strength and stability under wind-load and vibration makes this the preferred SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) material for F1 and aerospace use. Coupled with its high heat deflection temperature of 177°C Windform XT is well suited to the most arduous task.
Windform's light weight, high UTS characteristics, excellent surface finish, and resistance to wear, compared to standard SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) Duraform and SLS GF Duraform, also lends the technology to the low-volume direct manufacture of parts for race-cars and motorcycles, without the weight penalty.
Windform XT offers an alluring, black, sparkling look, appreciable in many design applications. Windform XT is particularly suited to applications which require superior mechanical properties, extremely high performance.
Due to its higher cost per kilo however, and the fact that the powder cannot be reused, unlike standard SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), Windform XT is expected to be used for specialist applications and not for general RP use.
Alumide
Alumide is made up of 50% fine aluminum powder suspended in Duraform Polyamide (Nylon 12).
A Typical application for Alumide is the manufacture of stiff parts of metallic appearance for applications in automotive manufacture (e.g. wind tunnel tests or parts that are not safety relevant), for tool inserts for injection moulding small production runs, for illustrative models (metallic appearance), and for jig manufacture, among other aspects.
The surfaces of parts made from Alumide can be finished by grinding, polishing, or coating. An additional advantage is that low tool-wear machining is possible, e.g. milling, drilling, or tuning.
One major advantage of Alumide over the standard Duraform materials is, like Windform XT, it’s high heat deflection temperature, which in the Alumide’s case is 175°C.
Available Technology
CRDM Ltd now operates 4 X SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) machines.
3 X DTM 2500 plus
1 X DTM Vanguard
With this large capacity we are now offering a lead time of just 2-3 days and a maximum build area of 380mm X 350mm X 400mm.
Components can be post coloured chemically in Black, Primary Colours or infiltrated with Aluminium powder for alternative cosmetic surfaces. A full spray-paint finishing service is also available in the exact colour and surface finish required. References to Pantone, NCS, Ral, and VDI or Moldtech specified by you.
How SLS - Selective
Laser Sintering works |
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