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Technology today is advancing extremely fast and almost nothing is impossible. This includes 3D printing and prototyping. So many things have been done in the additive manufacturing of metal parts that this is one standout example of what revolution is occurring in the creation of new technologies.
One leading technology is the so-called Selective Laser Melting (selected laser melting). But the question is what is it and how does it work? In this article we will talk about exactly that.
What is this technology?
Selective Laser Melting (SLM) represents a type of metal additive manufacturing or 3D printing. You will often see this technology under the name DMLS, which stands for “direct metal laser sintering“.
Although the two technologies are similar, there is one small difference between them. If the task of SLM is to melt metals, that of DMLS melts or sinters metals. For this purpose, a laser is used, which acts as a direct energy source. The metal is thus converted into metal powder.
Selective Laser Melting is one of most awesome 3D printing technologies, offered today. It is used not only for rapid prototyping but also for mass production. The range of metal alloys available is quite wide. And the end result has properties equal to those produced using traditional manufacturing processes.
Here it is also important to share what is the difference between SLM and another similar process, namely Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). In short, we can say that the two processes are very similar with the main difference that they use different materials.
Selective laser sintering is used in processes where the materials are plastics, glass and ceramics. In addition, the sintering process does not completely melt the powder, but is heated to the point where it can fuse at the molecular level. This enables control over the process.
On the other hand, at Selective Laser Melting the process is similar, but applied to metal alloys. Also here the laser is used to achieve complete melting. This means that the powder is melted into a homogeneous portion. This results in a product that is composed of one type of material, since it has only one melting point.
How does Selective Laser Melting work?
As we have already mentioned, SLM is very similar as a process to DMLS as both are related to fusion. In SLM the laser melts the dust layer by layer, until the pattern is complete. At the molecular level, the powder is melted to produce a homogeneous portion.
In this process mainly pure materials are usedsuch as titanium, stainless steel, cobalt and aluminium, and very rarely alloys may also be used.
Quite often, because of the weight of the material used, Selective Laser Melting technology requires the addition of support structures, although there is a powder bed to assist operation during printing.
As with other 3D printing technologies, SLM also used 3D CAD modelbased on which the desired real object is created. This process is possible thanks to the high-energy laser beam, which is care to melt the metal dust to be able to create the object.
Annex
SLM technology is extremely suitable for fabrication of complex geometries and structures, which have thin walls and hidden cavities and channels, as well as those that are small in size. This technology finds wide application in medicineby helping to create a stem for a hip joint, for example, as well as for orthopedic implants and much more.
Furthermore Selective Laser Melting also finds application in the aerospace industry. Thanks to it, components can be produced that would be difficult to produce in traditional manufacturing. The huge advantage is that thanks to Selective Laser Melting small parts can be produced, such as spare parts of old machines.
In short, the technology is used for production of direct parts for industries, such as aerospace, dental, medical, manufacturing and for many others. These parts can be with small to medium size, including very complex parts as required in the tooling industry.
Although the technology is expensive, it saves a tremendous amount of time, as it can also be used for rapid prototyping. This, in turn, saves valuable time for new product developmentas well as production time.
В China, for example, have used similar technology that has served to building structural titanium parts for aircraft. According to a study, it is proven that using this process can reduce the materials and waste that are present in the aerospace industry.
And even more interesting is that in 2018 is approved in the first ever implanted spinethat was made of titanium using Selective Laser Melting technology.
Industries where SLM finds application are:
- aerospace industry- for machinery, such as air ducts, fixtures and supports, which hold specific aeronautical instruments.
- Medicine – for the manufacture of complex, high-value medical products, including various types of implants.
- rapid prototyping – helps create design prototypes that are affordable and functional and give enable you to create the perfect product.
- tool processing- helps the rapid production of tools, as well as the optimization of existing tools to improve their functionality and much more.
SLM is extremely interesting technology that has enormous potential for widespread application. Today, interest in it is growing very rapidly, leading to the technology evolving as the process itself becomes increasingly accessible to consumers.
Do you need an expert?
This technology in itself is complicated, so not everyone can do it. It requires you to have specialized design and production skills and knowledgeto handle the fabrication of the required part.
That is why it is necessary to turn to experts, who will certainly know how to use Selective Laser Melting technology.
Feature of 3D printers used in this technology.
When select 3D printersto use with this technology, you should first of all pay attention to whether they are designed for it.
The features that are important for such a printer are:
- speed – it is of the utmost importance for any 3D printer, even those that are for SLM.
- size- what it will be the size of the selected printermakes a difference to how large models can be printed.
- Accuracy- Accuracy is related to the resolution of the 3D printer, so that the print the most accurate dimensions.
- Sustainability – it is important that the selected printer is resistant to the high loads that are possible with this type of printing.
- Materials- this is a key feature when choosing a 3D printer. For the purpose of Selective Laser Melting technology, the device must be designed to work with metal.
The most important thing to know about Selective Laser Melting 3D printers is that they must be filled with metal powderto begin their work. In addition, the whole process has to be carried out in a controlled environment, which means you have to have an enclosed chamber to withstand a certain temperature in Celsius.
But to be sure you make the right choice and that Selective Laser Melting is suitable for your purposes, we advise you to always consult specialists. They are able to explain the whole process to you to get the product you need, as well as guiding you in what 3D printer should best meet your needs.
