Project:Sinter
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Let us build a laser sinter.
The plan is to build a selective laser sinter to fuse plastic powder.
How it works
A laser moves over a 2D area of powder fusing the powder into a solid. When one layer is finished the bed of powder drops and a new layer of powder is added. The process is repeated until an object is created.
Next step
Fire lasers at powders.
Parts of the project
- Electronics - A microprocessor that can control stepper motors, trigger the laser & monitor the system for faults. This is probably the hardest part of the project. Status: Finished.
- Laser - Need to know wattage and frequency needed by the powder.
- Powder - Consider using black PLA plastic as it smells nice when heated.
- Overhead gantry - used to move the laser or laser-beam in X,Y space.
- Powder hopper - a powder holder.
- Build area - a hole under the laser that drops down smoothly and evenly a distance as small as 50 nanometers to make space for the next layer of powder.
- Powder mover - Something to move the powder from the hopper to the build area. needs to pack powder down to a uniform hight without disturbing the layer below.
- Case - A container to stop the Hackspace filling with fine powder. Maybe with glove holes and compressed air so the printed parts can be cleaned without opening.
- Heater - Optional heater to bring the powder close to fusing temperature so the laser can move faster.