Design and development of a lightweight SLS 3D printer with a controlled heating mechanism: Part A

Abstract

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is one of the hot topics in the manufacturing research community. The SLS printers developed by the researchers have shown a great potential, however, it needs a lot of improvements to be considered for commercial usage. Here, we report an improved design of the SLS printer with a unique heating mechanism to ensure enhanced mechanical properties of the final part. These improvements came in the form of enhanced heating mechanism for the printer once the reverse engineering concepts were put together to come up with an innovative yet scalable design. The design included two axes movement of the laser via computer numerical control (CNC) router as opposed to traditional complex controlled reflecting mirrors. Complete models were developed regarding the laser power, motor torque and determining the specific layer height for layer by layer sintering based on the nylon powder as the raw material. Static structural analysis was carried out on the printer to identify the material to be used for required strength. Complete electrical control of the printer was developed using Raspberry Pi which was coded via python to control the motors of each axis in the printer. Successful testing of the electronic and control system of the proposed SLS printer is also illustrated in this work. Keywords: SLS, Printer, Lightweight, Heating mechanism, Design