World's first desktop SLS

Fweek3D Print Network: "Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)" is one of the oldest 3D printing technologies. It uses a laser as an energy source to sinter powder material to produce a solid structure. Unlike other additive manufacturing processes such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), SLS does not require support structures and the resulting components have finer details.

Although there are many desktop 3D printers on the market today, most of these printers use FDM technology instead of SLS. This is because SLS machines are often more expensive: a professional SLS 3D printer starts at about 200,000 Euros. But there are also some inventors who hope to create affordable laser-sintered 3D printers.

British company Norge Systems started this work two years ago. Their goal is to create "the world's first low-cost, high-quality SLS 3D printer, even a small and medium-sized design studio can afford it, with ease of use and small size."

For the past eight months, members of the development team: electronics, laser specialist Lica Venri, 3D artist Alessandro Facchini, and software developer Stefano Rebecchi have been working hard to develop software and optimize the supply chain and assembly process. Two new SLS 3D printers were eventually produced: Ice9 and Ice1.

What are the characteristics of these two SLS 3D printers? In addition to cost-effective, there are build sizes. According to Tiangong News, Ice9 has a maximum print size of 30x30x45cm, while the smaller Ice1 also has a 20x20x25cm, capable of printing larger volume prototypes.

The Ice9 SLS 3D printer can print plastic models (using nylon or polyamide (PA) materials). An interesting feature of the Ice9 SLS printer is also the function of a laser engraving/cutting machine. You can use it to draw or cut a variety of materials, such as wood, paper, foam, and even felt.