Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) has become a reliable and trusted form of rapid prototyping due to its structural properties. It is particularly useful when the design is complex, custom, and needs to be functional or requires short run production. In SLS a laser beam selectively fuses or sinters powder materials, nylon, or elastomer materials. It produces [...]
Browsing Posts tagged FDM
Every Picture Tells a Story. Share Yours Today!! At Quickparts, we ship over 1,000 orders of custom parts each month, each with its own story to tell. We are always amazed at the wide variety of customers that we have and all of the various uses of the parts we produce. This month we are [...]
While the primary processes of additive manufacturing have not changed greatly over their lives, the intense focus on the materials has allowed for this area to develop into a fairly mature offering of choices for the user. What makes this a bit more complicated is that the technology path of each of the RP processes (Stereolithography, [...]
1. File Resolution: STL format has become the standard for rapid prototype manufacturing. This format approximates the surface of a design using triangles. The resolution of the STL file plays an important role in the quality of the prototype produced. Due to the limitations of most prototyping processes the recommended facet resolution is 0.002“ to [...]
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing process that is commonly used for rapid prototyping and production applications. Unlike many other prototyping processes, the build materials with FDM are actual production quality thermoplastics which are melted and finely extruded to create two-dimensional cross sections of the model. Each layer quickly solidifies and the next [...]
Check out this article released today by Desktop Engineering. It’s really informative and perfect for a forum like this. A good summary of the last 20 years or so, along with a focus on what has been happening lately. Some great information and images. Evolution of Rapid Technologies Also – if you’re looking to learn [...]
The latest addition to the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process is the ability to offer Ultem as a material choice. This is a high end, engineering grade material that is used by many industries including the medical and aerospace industries. The Ultem 9085 offered through the FDM process is certified for use on commercial aircrafts and [...]
