Additive manufacturing processes at igus®

In SLS 3D printing, plastic powder is applied in layers using a doctor blade and melted with a laser at the point where the component is to be created. This process is characterised above all by its cost-effectiveness, fast production and high dimensional accuracy of the printed components(from ± 0.15 mm).

Further advantages:

• Strength and good layer bonding
• Tough, elongation at break greater than 8
• Filigree components with a wall thickness of up to 0.7 mm can be realised
• Printing service worldwide, igus® SLS systems in Germany, China and the USA

Tip: Compared to the SLS process, FDM 3D printing offers a greater variety of materials.

FDM is a 3D printing process in which a meltable material (plastic) is heated and applied layer by layer via one or more nozzles. This is also referred to as filament deposition or filament extrusion. The inexpensive purchase of a filament printer and the simple handling make FDM the most widely used 3D printing process.

Special services at igus®:

• Multi-material printing: In the 3D printing service, it is possible to produce parts from up to four different filaments in one printing process.
• Large-format 3D printing: In the large-format 3D printer from igus®, components up to 1 metre in size can be additively manufactured.

Tip: If support material is to be dispensed with and components with a high layer bonding and higher dimensional accuracy (< ±0.2 mm) are required, the SLS and DLP processes are better suited than FDM.

DLP is a 3D printing process in which layer after layer of synthetic resin is exposed to UV light in a tank and thereby cured or polymerised. A UV light source hits an array of mirrors, which reflect the light as a two-dimensional layer geometry and cast it onto the material.

Advantages:

• High print resolution of up to 35 µm
• Isotropic mechanical specification (no disadvantages in strength due to the layer structure)
• Clean and smooth surface
• Possible areas of application: gears with tooth modulus 0.2 and special components that require filigree recesses, internal channels or the finest holes

DLP vs SLA:
A major advantage of 3D printing using the DLP process is the time saved. Compared to the SLA process, in which each point is individually exposed by a laser, the resin is cured surface by surface in the DLP process, thus reducing the construction time many times over. In addition, the resolution is significantly increased with up to 35 µm pixels.