HOME » DIRECT METAL LASER SINTERING (DMLS)

DMLS is the newest service Forecast3D has added for additively manufactured parts in pure metals. As the only West Coast supplier of this technology, we are committed to producing custom metal laser sintered components and assemblies that comply with the requirements of our AS9100B Quality Management System and customer material and process requirements. We are also working towards obtaining ISO 13485 for medical implant applications, and direct digital manufacturing for aerospace.

The Process
The DMLS process has quickly become the preferred method of additive prototyping and manufacturing for metals. In this process, powdered metal is sintered at 20-micron layers, which are traced in the X and Y-axes before the build tray lowers 20 microns. The recoater then sweeps over a new layer of powder 20 microns thin, allowing a new layer to be sintered on the already built layer. 

Though layers are sintered, it actually requires support structures, a requirement also found in the SLA process. Support material is the actual sintered metal. Parts require a variety of post processes, including heat treating, support removal, shot peening and more.

DMLS allows complex parts to be built in days versus weeks, and is quickly replacing the need for expensive fourth and fifth axis machining or investment casting.   Forecast3D operates three EOS M270 machines.

View our DMLS machine in action