Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is an additive manufacturing process that uses a bed of metal powder, fused together via a high powered laser. The laser fuses layers together by selectively scanning and hardening fine particles of metal powder to create a solid structure. After each cross section is sintered, the machine deposits another 40 um layer metal powder and the process repeats itself until the build is complete.  

Direct Metal Laser Sintering is a complex manufacturing process that requires significant amount of post processing to remove the physical supports. These design guidelines covers specific design parameters, which will need to be followed to prevent build failures from occurring. 

Optimizing your designs for Direct Metal laser Sintering will help keep manufacturing costs down. Price is primarily based upon the X, Y, & Z extents of your part with the biggest cost factor being how tall the part sits in the build. Small, dense or parts that nest low in the z-axis will be priced the most competitively in this technology. Wall thickness has a modest effect on the cost of the part, so it is important to avoid overly bulky or dense features.

Our DMLS machines have a building volume of: 400 x 400 x 400 mm (15.8 x 15.8 x 15.8 in) and a laser diameter of 100 um.

The throughput of Direct Metal Laser Sintering is limited, as parts can only be nested in the X & Y planes in the build chamber. This limits the amount of parts that can be built in a single run, making it more ideal for low volume manufacturing of small highly complex parts. Parts produced using DMLS are fully dense and provide a uniform finish with excellent mechanical properties, making it a suitable substitute to machining. Additional post-processing options are available to improve the surface finish or machine critical features to specification.