Metal 3D printing: SLM and DMLS

How it works

In a sealed chamber filled with protective gas, a thin layer of metal powder is spread, for example stainless steel, aluminium or titanium. A laser melts it in the marked places and the layers fuse together. The names SLM (selective laser melting) and DMLS (direct metal laser sintering) are very close and vary by manufacturer and by whether the powder is melted fully. SLS uses a similar principle for plastics.

Parts are attached to the plate by support structures and after printing they have to be cut off, often heat treated and machined where precision is needed.

Pros and cons

• Complex shapes. Internal channels, lattices and lightweight structures cannot be made any other way.
• Strength. Parts are dense and strong like metal stock.
• Price. The machines, the powder and the post-processing are all expensive, which is why it is used in aerospace, medicine and tooling.
• Post-processing. The surface is rough and precise faces need machining. For batches, traditional CNC machining is therefore often the better option.

What this means for your order

We do not print metal or metal powders. We print with FDM in PLA and PETG. If you need something else, write to jakub.novak@boostello.com. We do not promise a print in advance, but we can advise.

Plastic cannot replace metal where high temperature or heavy load is involved. Have a metal part made by a metal printing service or on a CNC machine. To check the shape and dimensions before such production, a prototype in our PLA is often all you need.

What you can do with plastic

If you only need the metal look, a plastic part can be sprayed or lacquered after printing, but we do not offer that and we do not finish surfaces afterwards, see painting. When it comes to heat resistance, plastic stays limited: PLA softens at around 60 °C and PETG at around 80 °C. For a casting, a printed pattern can help, but that is a job for a foundry.