1. Selective Layer Sintering
By Elvir Tabakovic

2. Definition
Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass powders into a mass that has a desired 3-dimensional shape.

3. How does it work?
The laser melts only the outer surface of the particles (surface melting), fusing the solid non-melted cores to each other and to the previous layer.

4. Process

5. Who made it?
SLS was developed and patented by Dr. Carl Deckard at the University of Texas at Austin in the mid-1980s

6. Software
To run the SLS system, it is ran by SLS TECHNOLOGY. SLS technology is in wide use around the world due to its ability to easily make very complex geometries directly from digital CAD data.

7. What does it make?
The SLS produces polymers such as nylon, (neat, glass-filled or with other fillers) or polystyrene, metals including steel, titanium, alloy mixtures, and composites and green sand.

8. Pictures
Bike Helmet
Produced By SLS

9. Advantages
Unlike stereolithography, SLS prototyping techniques allow prototypes to be made with material properties closer to that of injection molded pieces

10. Equipment/Materials Required
The machines available to make SLS prototypes are
Sinterstation HiQ
Sinterstation Pro