The selective sintering based on fiber laser technology is considered to be a process that applies a laser system to heat powder materials leading to the fusion of micron-scale particles to create a solid mass, herewith, this technique finds its popularity in numerous manufacturing processes today. Herewith, previously the laser technology has been limited to printing with one material at a time.
Nevertheless, now the problem has been overcome by changing the whole laser system process to provide printing with multiple materials. To be more precise, scientists moved the fiber laser so that it points upward instead of downward into the heated place leading to no need for a powder bed.
It should be noted that the scientists install several transparent glass plates, herewith, they coated them with a thin layer of various plastic powder. Moreover, they make a print platform lower onto the upper surface of one powder, therefore, directing a laser beam of high quality upward from below the plate and through the bottom.
Such a fiber laser technology enables numerous materials to either be combined into a single layer or stacked. Thus, a large powder bed is not required anymore because it promotes the sintering of various powders in a single layer. Also, a prototype laser system has been already tested and shows “a 50-layer-thick, 2.18-mm sample out of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) powder with an average layer height of 43.6 μm, and a multi-material nylon and TPU print with an average layer height of 71 μm.”
The thing is that the developed fiber laser system for 3D printing offers such qualities as the feasibility of the process and the capability to make stronger, denser materials by pressing the plate hard against the hanging part during the process of sintering by the fiber laser.
Finally, the scientists claim that laser technology is regarded as highly promising and can find potential applications in printing embedded circuits, electromechanical components, and even robot components. Moreover, laser beams enable to produce machine parts with graded alloys, which composition transforms gradually from one end to another.
Thus, the opportunities of laser systems for sintering will be greatly expanded toward a wider variety of industries by allowing the production of complex multi-material parts without assembly. The thing is that the fiber laser technology can change the additive manufacturing industry from printing only passive uniform parts, toward printing active integrated systems.
If you are looking for a compact highly-efficient laser system, the Optromix company is ready to manufacture it. Optromix is a manufacturer of laser systems, optical fiber sensors, and optical monitoring systems. We develop and manufacture a broad variety of fiber lasers, high powered fiber lasers, and other types. We offer simple laser products, as well as sophisticated fiber laser systems with unique characteristics, based on the client’s inquiry.
We manufacture laser modules using our technologies based on the advanced research work and patents of the international R&D team. Laser processes are of high quality, high precision, easily-automated manufacturing solutions that provide repeatability and flexibility. If you have any questions or would like to buy a fiber laser system, please contact us at info@optromix.com
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