ABSTRACT

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is technique by which parts are building layer by layer.
The SLS is a free form fabrication method to create components by precise thermal fusing of
powdered materials. This is durable, economical and fast. The SLS is one form of rapid
prototyping.
This selective laser sintering (SLS) is one among the rapid prototyping which include

stereo lithography (SLA). This method has also been extended to provide direct fabrication of
metal and ceramic objects and tools. With this method we can make required and different
prototype. This SLS can be used as a mass production prototyping.

Rapid Advanced Processor in Development (RAPID) is a prototyping technology that

accelerates the development of state-of-the-art processor systems, particularly those involving
custom boards and firmware. This technology enables large productivity gains in prototyping
and a significant reduction of development times from system concept to operation.
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
In a SLS process, a computer-controlled laser beam is used to heat the powder bed to cause
localized sintering. It is a complex process which involves many process parameters. The laser
beam properties, such as laser beam profile, intensity, and wavelength as well as its scanning speed
and scanning path are very important parameters. In facts, these parameters together with powder
material properties and sintering environment are key factors in a SLS process. An understanding of
these parameters is very important to the successful SLS process control. Therefore, a cross
parametric evaluation and a parametric analysis efforts were conducted to assess the effects of the
major process parameters, including laser power, beam scanning speed and powder packing
densities, on the quality of the SLS products using a simple powder system in a single scan and
single layer basis. The primary objective of the most effective factors for SLS part production
qualitatively. It is focused on the investigation of the effect of the processing parameters on the
sintering geometry definition, sintering depth, and sintering density. For simplification, the effects of
environmental influences and materials were fixed. Machinery influences were neglected other than
the powder packing density.

1.1WHY RAPID PROTOTYPING NECESSARY?

The reasons of Rapid Prototyping are
• To decrease development time.
• To decrease costly mistakes
• To minimize sustaining engineering changes.
• To extend product lifetime by adding necessary features and eliminating redundant features
early in the design.
Rapid Prototyping decreases development time by allowing corrections to a product to be made
early in the process. By giving engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing a look at
the product the design process, mistakes can be corrected and changes can be while they
are still inexpensive. The trends in manufacturing industries to emphasize the following

• Increasing number of variants of products.

• Increasing product complexity.
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• Decreasing product lifetime before obsolescence.

• Decreasing delivery time.
Rapid Prototyping improves product development by enabling better communication in a
concurrent engineering environment
1.2 HIGHLIGHTS OF SLS
1 It is patented in 1989.
2 Considerably stronger than stereo lithography.
3 Laser beam selectively fuses powder materials; nylon, elastomers and so on metals.
4 Process is simple.
5 There is no milling or masking steps required.
6 Powdering, porous surface unless sealant is used. Sealant also strengthens the part.
7 Uncured materials are easily removed after a build by brushing off.

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2. Literature review:

This literature review will describe the development of rapid prototyping, present scope of the
selective laser sintering etc. Finally, applications of rapid prototyping (RP) and its recent
development are discussed. Rapid Prototyping (RP) is defined as the layer-by-layer fabrication
of three dimensional models from a computer-aided design (CAD). The first phase of
prototyping (Manual or hard prototyping) began many centuries ago. Prototypes in this phase are
typically not very sophisticated and their fabrications take on average about four weeks. The
techniques used in making these prototypes are extremely labour intensive and craft-based. This
process was also used in manufacturing moulds, rapid handling of electrodes manufactured,
polymer moulds, die casting, die casting of titanium zirconium, bio-medical applications, pieces
of zirconium-titanium (PZT) and sheet metal parts. Currently, the experiments in the laboratory
of INCDMTM and dedicated magazines and articles draw attention to a new comprehensive,
integrated approach, of the SLS process.

In the future, the SLS activity may continue in several areas. Materials can be tested for SLS
with low volume production, with specific properties. However, it is envisaged that the size of
pre-sintered parts will become more than a critical value, the minimum thickness of the layer will
decrease and, consequently, the surface roughness decreases. It is therefore necessary to study
the microstructure properties to be developed in future research studies. Another area of future
research is to manufacture various parts of the same product using different materials. Desired
properties of parts can be achieved by using different materials for different layers, resulting in
new features metallurgical and mechanical parts. Various process parameters can be optimized
either by modelling or by a subsequent experimental strategy, so that laser energy transfers to the
surface to make the anterior surface near the interface. Optimizing these parameters is also
necessary to anticipate resistance, strength and hardness in a SLS product.[27] Because the
product post-processing is inevitable and time-consuming and pre-processing of powders takes
time, an improved version of the SLS can be developed with post-processing techniques for
better surface finish, track resistance, dimensional accuracy to achieve a and a reduced working
time. It is envisaged that the metals with a special performance will be tested in future for

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complex products of good quality. In addition, to achieve this goal, the melting will be used for
chemical reactions between phases. In recent years, new technologies have been successfully
developed and applied in the field of components for research and biomedical devices, implants,
3D scanning, CT scan, MRI scan, handling DICOM files, 3D design, e-Manufacturing (Rapid
Prototyping, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Tooling). They open a new era of collaboration
between the engineer, the physician and the IT expert.

Selective laser sintering (SLS) was developed and patented by Dr. Carl Deckard and academic
adviser, Dr. Joe Beaman at the University of Texas at 5 Austin in the mid-1980s. Deckard and
Beaman were involved in the resulting start up company DTM, established to design and build
the SLS machines. In 2001, 3D Systems the biggest competitor of DTM and SLS technology
acquired DTM. The most recent patent regarding Deckard's SLS technology was issued 28
January 1997 and expired 28 Jan 2014.A similar process was patented without being
commercialized by R. F. Housholder in 1979.

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3.1 SLS TECHNOLOGY:

The selective laser sintering is a free form fabrication method to create components by
precise thermal fusing (sintering) of powdered materials. Parts of complex geometries can build
in successive layers that define subsequent cross sections of the component.

Fig no: 1.2 3D model prepared by using SLS Technology

The sinter powder is powder fed to the process chamber from two cartridges flanking the partly
built product.

This allows for bidirectional powder feeding to the roller that lays powder across the top of the
product,
thus improving building speed. Unsintered powder is returned to the powder feeding cartridges, to
be recycled.
The SLS technology uses a C02 laser to sinter (fuse) a variety of thermoplastic and metal
powders to "grow" 3D objects layer- by-layer from 3D electronic data. Because this is an additive
process, highly complex geometries can be built without issue; and, because the powder holds the
parts, no support structures have to be added and removed. The key advantage of SLS is its ability to
rapidly produce durable, functional objects for a wide variety of applications.
• Working parts and assemblies with good detail and surface finishing,
• Variety of material: rigid and flexible plastics, ful y dense metal, rubber like elastomer, foundry
friendly patterns,
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• Capable of living hinges, high-flex snaps, high stress and heat tolerance and service as short-run
tooling,
• Dimensional tolerance with thousandths of an inch,
Delivery of most parts and patterns in just a few working days
3.2EXPERIMENTAL SETUP OF SLS
3.2.1 APPARATUS;
Thermoplastic powder is spread by a roller over a surface of a build cylinder. The piston in
the cylinder moves down one object layer thickness to accommodate the new layer of powder. The
powder delivery system is similar in function to a build cylinder. Here a piston moves upwards
incrementally to supply a measured quantity of powder for each layer. A layer beam is then traced
over the surface of this tightly compacted powder to selectively melt and bond it to form a layer
of the object. The fabrication chamber is maintained at a temperature just below the melting point
of the powder so that heat from the laser need only elevate the temperature slightly to cause
sintering. This greatly speeds up the process. The process is repeated until the entire object is
fabricated.

Fig no: 1.2 Equipment’s arrangement

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After the object is fully formed the piston is raised to elevate it. Excess powder is simply brushed away
and final manual finishing may be carried out. No supports are required with this method. Since overhangs and
under cuts are supported by the solid power bed. It may take a consider able length of cool down time before the
part can be removed from the machine. Large parts with thin sections may require as much as two days of
cooling time.

3.2.2Laser Selection
The choice of the laser is solely dependent on the selection of the powder material, its optical
properties, thermal properties and the availability. C02 lasers is used for the SLS process
because Its wavelength is about 10.6µm which is in the best absorption rate range of
polycarbonate.
The experimental C02 Laser has a frequency range of 50-400 Hz, TEMoo 95% purity of mode
quality, and ± 5% of power stability (30sec. warm up time), and 3mm of output beam size. Laser
beam profile was measured at surface of powder bed by using profile meter. Gaussian beam profile
was observed with a beam waist of about 1.4 mm in 100% duty cycle. It was also noticed that a
smooth Gaussian profile of the laser beam can be obtained only at the full duty cycle.

3.3WORKING PROCESS
3.3.1PROCESS:
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) parts are built with successive layers of powder selectively bound

by a laser beam. SLS is also a technique by

which parts are built layer by layer.
The basic material consists of powder with
particle sizes in the order of magnitude of (11µm-
50µm). Successive powder layers are spread on
top of each other.

fig no: 1.3 layer formation

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fig:1.4 sintering process.

After deposition, a computer controlled C02 Laser beam scans the surface and selectively binds
together the powder particles of the corresponding cross section of the product. During laser
exposure, the powder temperature rises above the glass transition point after which adjacent
particles join together. This process is called sintering.
Generally, the high degree of surface finish is obtained through adhesives coating, painting and
nickel plate coating.
3.3.2INPUT PARAMETERS:
Before starting of any process its input parameter should be studied. For SLS it can be
distinguish in following ways
a) For laser:
a)Laser focus diameter:
The focal diameter of the spot is directly proportion to the wave length of the
laser, focal length of the x, y scan system, quality of the laser beam and inversely proportion
to the diameter of the laser beam prior to focusing with respect to the correction factor. This
is explaining with the equation as;
Fs=A x F x M2 x C/D
Where, Fs=focal diameter of the

spot A-wave length of the laser

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F=focal length of the x, y scan

system M2=quality of the laser

beam C=correction factor

D=diameter of the laser beam prior to

focusing
 Laser wave length:
The wave length of CO2 laser is 10.6 µm, (9.4 µm).Pump
source is Transverse (high power) or longitudinal (low power) electrical discharge.
 Beam profile:
The conventional SLS device has biggest field size is 500 X 500
square millimeters. The conventional SLS device use 'F-theta' lens as a correction lens. The
f-theta lens is placed before the laser beam post scanner that provides bigger circular or near
circular laser spot to the maximum extends of 500 X 500 square millimeter field size. For
making 3d objects of bigger size multiple laser beams are used in which each laser beam coming
from a device sinters only an assigned portion of the mold. The prototypes beyond the 500 X
500 square millimeters are made in parts that increase the time and cost to make the
prototype. The conventional method uses two or more laser sources to make larger field size
than possible field size. The prototype is divided into number of parts and then each part is
sintered by a SLS device individually and finally the parts are joined to give the shape to the
complete prototype

 Laser power:
The precise and consistent laser beam spot can be achieved without making the
adjustment in the input beam diameter. This is explaining with the equation as; dp = P/A
Where, dp = power density of laser at a

spot P = laser power,

A- area of spot
 Scanning velocity:
The main factor affecting the speed at which a part can be built is
the thickness of the layers being sintered. Using a 0.010 inch (0.25mm) layer thickness, the 1

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inch part will require 100 layers to build the part.

The time needed to scan a layer of a parts determined by the area of the layer, the complexity of
the layer, and the number of parts being built simultaneously. As the size, complexity, and
number of parts increase, the time needed to complete a layer in the process increases.
Example: CO2 (wavelength 10.6 mm) continuous laser with a maximum power of 10 W it
has the scanning speed of the laser beam varies from 0.2 to 10000 mm/s. The laser beam
was focused to 200 mm at a focal length of 241 mm. The main characteristics of the CO2 laser
are the controllable output, long operating life, good beam quality, and easy maintenance.
b) For machine:
 Type of material:
Many powder materials can be used as the starting material for SLS
process. The sintering material for a SLS process is chosen by considering its sintering
capability, mechanical property after sintered, and radiation stability of the material.
Additionally, the melting point of the material need to be considered for a given laser power.
Polycarbonate powder was selected as a sample material for the process. It possesses good
mechanical properties, good sintering capability and high radiation stability in polymers. The
IR spectrum of polycarbonate indicates that the highest absorption rate is in the range of
wavelength from 5.0µm to 11.0µm.

c) Powder characteristics:
Powder particle size distribution plays an important role in sintering
kinetics and powder bed formation. Also, which compare the laser sintering behavior of
powders with similar average size, but different size distribution range are very limited.
3.4THE MATERIAL

3.4.1Polyamide (PA):
Being a solid material, the powder has the attractive feature of being self-supporting for the
generated product sections. This makes supports (typical for stereo lithography) redundant. The
polyamide material allows the production of fully functional prototypes with high mechanical
and thermal resistance.
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Polyamide parts have an excellent long-term stability and are resistant against most chemicals.
They can be made watertight by impregnation. The PA material used by Materialize is
certified as biocompatible, food safe and not harmful to health or the environment.
3.4.2 Glass filled polyamide (PA-GF)
The use of PA powder filled with glass particles (PA-GF) has a much higher thermal
resistance and is typically used in functional tests with high thermal loads.
3.4.3 Alumide
Alumide is a blend of aluminum powders and PA powder, which allows metallic-looking,
non- porous components to be machined easily and is resistant to high temperatures. 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 small production runs, for illustrative models (metallic appearance), for education
and jig manufact ure, among other aspects.
3.4.4 Nylon:
The material being added to the line of SLS materials is a Nylon. This material was selected
based on its performance in early testing. It offers improved toughness and strength over
polycarbonate and will expand the number of functional applications for SLS-generated parts.

Since the material is a crystalline polymer, it offers improved chemical resistance over the
polycarbonate and has successfully been used in high temperature caustic plating baths

Some of the commonly used materials are:

3.4.5 Aluminum-Filled (PA12-AL)
3.4.6 Impact-Resistant Nylon (Duraform EX)
3.4.7 Nylon (Duraform PA)
3.4.8 Glass-Filled Nylon (Duraform GF)
3.4.9 Flame Retardant Nylon (Duraform FR100)
3.4.10 Carbon Fiber Filled Nylon (Windform XT)
3.4.11 Rubber-Like (Duraform Flex Plastic)

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4.1PROTOTYPES MANUFACTURED BY SLS

Fig no: 1.5 Manufactured parts from SLS

SLS has also been referred to as solid free-form manufacturing, computer automated
manufacturing, and layered manufacturing. SLS has obvious use as a vehicle for visualization. In
addition, SLS models can be used for testing, such as when an airfoil shape is put into a wind
tunnel. SLS models can be used to create male models for tooling, such as silicone rubber molds
and investment casts. In some cases, the SLS part can be the final part, but typically the SLS
material is not strong or accurate enough. When the SLS material is suitable, highly convoluted
shapes (including parts nested within parts) can be produced because of the nature of SLS.
4.2 Some Se le c tive Lase r Sinte ring c onside rations :
 Minimum wall thickness is typically 0.6mm

 The SLS process is based on a powder so parts do not have a completely smooth surface
without further finishing
 Parts are porous (but can be sealed post build)

 Best results are obtained when parts are designed along the same guidelines as for injectio n

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molding or casting, i.e. hollow with even sections and wall thicknesses
 Tolerances depend on geometry but typically ±0.2mm up to 100mm, ±0.2% over 100mm
4.3 ADVANTAGES OF SLS
 It offers the key advantage of making functional parts in essentially final materials.
 The system is mechanically more complex than SLA and most other Technology
 The method has extended to provide direct fabrication of metals and ceramic objects and tools.
 SLS are, Fast, Economical, Durable
4.4 LIMITATIONS OF SLS
 Surface finish: The surface of an SLS part is powdery, like the base material whose particles
are fused together without complete Melting.
 Dimensional accuracy: SLA is more accurate immediately after completion of the model,
but SLS is prone to residual stresses that are caused by long term curing and environmental
stresses. SLS is less predictable because of the variety of materials and process parameters.
 Accuracy: the accuracy of a rapid prototype is dependent on many factors. Upon
completion of the prototype the SLA provides greater accuracy than SLS.
4.5 APPLICATIONS OF SLS:
 Aerospace Hardware.
 UAS, UAV, UUV, UGV Hardware.
 Medical and Healthcare.
 Electronics; Packaging, Connectors.
 Homeland Security.
 Military Hardware.

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5.1 Case study I: cranial implant manufactured with selective laser

sintering process
Titanium is used to manufacture the cranial implants, but the material and machining Methods
are highly expensive and time consuming titanium is relatively stiff compared to the Bone
but one of the disadvantage of this material is this lead to long -term issues with fit and
Comfort in the skull, more recently the focus is turned to plastic Polyether Ether Ketone
(PEEK) Cranial implant.

Fig no:1.6 cranial implant

By using selective laser sintering cranial implant prototype has been created by a team of
doctors Design engineers and experts material testing group result of which cranial implant
better fit, Less time taken in surgery, provide a grates comfort to the patient.

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5.2 Case study II: LASER SINTERED INJECTION MOULDS,

CASE STUDIES MADE IN BELGIUM
Rapid manufacturing is a new trend in mould making. Several techniques are used to
shorten the production cycle of mould making. Main focus for the presented research were
Material Addition Processes (MAP) such as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The cable support
case has been studied during several years. The moulds for this case are always based on an
inserted core and cavity geometry.

Fig no:1.6 insert for the cable support Fig no:1.7 cable support “product”
Cable support mould is very difficult to manufacture by anther method it is possible
to make The a moulds with cavity, insert, depth, complexity are no limitation of selective leaser
sintering Process smaller grain size of the powder brings a better accuracy and surface
roughness.

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CONCLUSION:

Selective laser sintering provides exact representations of your complex designs in just days. This means
that without delay, you receive a superior design communication tool. Using the physical prototype, you
can detect errors early and correct them before it's too late. It all adds up to hitting aggressive deadlines
critical to time-to-market reductions.

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REFERENCES:

[1] J.J. Beaman, J.W. Barlow, D.L. Bourell, R.H. Crawford, H.L. Marcus, K.P. McAlea, Solid
Freeform Fabrication: A New Direction in Manufacturing, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997.
[2] L. Lu, J. Fuh, Y.S. Wong, Laser Induced Materials and Processes for Rapid Prototyping,
Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001, ISBN: 0792374002.

[3] R.Hague, S. Mansour and N. Saleh, Material and design considerations for
Rapid Manufacturing. International Journal of Production Research, 42(22), 2004, 4691.

[4] Randall M. German, Powder Metallurgy Science – 2nd Edition, Metal Powder Industries
Federation, 1994, ISBN: 1878954423.

[5] M.J. O‟Hara, I.B. Cutler, Sintering Kinetics of binary mixtures of alumina
powders. Proceedings of the British Ceramic Society, 12, 1969, pp.145-154.

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