In reference to your comment about the quality of the solder points on the laser; I'm an industry professional in additive (worked as a lead tech for an OEM for a commercial grade DLP printer for 5 years, now as a field engineer in SLA/SLS) you would be appalled at the quality of some of the components that come out of the factory in commercial and industrial grade machines, pushing the price $500,000 price points, before turnkey installations. But I can guarantee you that the majority of the cost of that printer is focused around the optical plate and the laser itself. I am somewhat surprised at the quality of the diode though. Especially with the lack of the F-Theta lens. (Though that's usually why companies stay at the lower build envelope size, as the logic involved in rectifying the focus during a build is where most of the complexity in these machines comes into play)
Truly excellent intro to SLS printing. I am pretty familiar with FDM printing. This was great way to see the fundamental technology hands on. Your explanations and tips were spot on. My first impression was that this was a metal cable printer then realized you can use only TPE and PA12. Still pretty awesome. Would love to see a low-cost Metal printing SLS demo.
I bet you with some additional modifications to the laser source and optics, you could gain the ability to sinter metal powder. Aluminum has a melting point of 660°C (1220°F), but keep in mind that the sintering temperature can be quite a bit lower for many metals. Some aluminum alloys and such can be sintered at 590C according to: www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1727
@Brandon Smith maybe with a 30W source... i still doubt it though... the scan speeds would have to be cut to at least a quarter of what they are now... The galvos usually run in a close to resonance mode and changing the scan speed will significantly impact the accuracy of the system.
@@MasterThief117 i work with sls polymer and dmls metal printers and although looking through the window they look like the same process they are quite a way apart in real terms. even this version of sls technology is using workarounds for the diode laser source to work with the plastic (it has to be pigmented here for the laser to be absorbed)- theres also no gas shield - even sls uses nitrogen, dmls uses nitrogen or argon depending on the metal as it oxidises on contact with the laser. then theres the issue of the condensates given off by the process - fancy some spontaneous combustion? Id love the technology to trickle down to enthusiast level too but its a way off yet .
@@MasterThief117 argon is heavyer then air ,so u need some cup like sealed bottom get smart valve that monitor how much liters u can release (let say u need 3 l per print ) ,switch galvo with fiber laser 30w can eat any metal ,and last super expensive metal dust at 160+$ per kg ,after print you need some heated box that can heat up to 900c to fuse metal part and stress out from print ,and bill will go 3k for fibre + some add parts for argon + bottle 3-400 , and heated box you can get one jewelers use for 1.2k and load metal dust and have fun
These are the best 1 hr 16 min I have to spend. One of the finest pieces of content to study the understanding of printers. Thank you Dr. D-Flo for such amazing content.
Dr.D-Flo, every content that you're putting out is captivating and well paced in explanations. Thank you for your generosity for sharing your knowledge with the curious youtubers like me. Be blessed. Salutations from France.
The honesty while putting this together was very refreshing for youtube! It makes for a much more believable review when you point out all the negatives and how they can be fixed. 👍
Crazy impressive man. Just everything is impressive. Your knowledge on these subjects, how you explain and I actually understand, and your results. I've never heard of this type of printing, but that was a very interesting video and well done. I really like watching your videos because they are entertaining, and I really do learn a lot of things. I set up Twin Turn CNC Lathes at my work, and pretty much all your videos better help me understand the components and concepts behind machinery, electronics, and just how things work. Can't thank you enough!
The entire 76 minutes were informative and well presented. Your comments on the kit and its quality issues came across objective and fair. This is a big step up from some of your earlier content which was more on the humorous side.
I think using the vibration of the hoover can be used to vibrate the powder true the filter into a cone shape collector underneath the container of your hoover. This way you don't make a mess and automatically separate the useful from the usefulness powder
Printing enthusiasts and engineers have been waiting SO long for it. It opens the doors WIDE open for possibility especially when metal sls is affordable for home gamers.
I checked their website, 6k Is acceptable price. Imagine if we fish most the plastics out from the Oceans, then grid them in fine powder and use it in SLS Printers.
Hopefully Sintratec has payed attention, and cares about customer experience, easy for them to remedy these issues, what a great video to help them advance too another level, or too end up another dumpster fire!!..Well done!!
i dont often comment on videos but i am currently studying level 3 engineering and your video has been very informative for my additive manufacturing assignment, thanks a very well execute video.
@Dr. D-Flo - TIPP: u gotta roll the zyclone container while u pour out the powder, when u use a relatively small container as u did, in order not to spill that much nylon powder :) used this method with any high viscosity fluid and solids and it worked like a charme so far (works with grounded coffee as well)
Corection on 24:08 The actual "motor" sits in the silver part of the galvo. It is a permanent magnet glued on the shaft driven by 2 coils. The black thing houses sensors for the closed loop system. In most cases there are a couple photodiodes inside, some infrared leds and a "cut out disc" that is connected to the shaft. PS. The optical system can be made preaty cheap you can get the galvo for about ~200$ some time you can get 30kpps glavos for under 100$ from china. The laser diode would be 2-30$ depending on the Wattage, the holder you can probly diy, the correction optics are just prisms because blue lasers make a line/ rectangle and you correct it so it makes a "quadrat"(don't know the english word for it right now, it's german) Lenses are cheap when you go with standard sizes.... And for larger build volume you can copy the beambrush technoligy by Pangolin Laser systems. With that you change the focus with a galvo or use a longer focal lenght...
I used to do a lot of SLS printing with Shapeways until I got my own resin printers. The detail is so much better, even on a low end printer. I don't know why I would go back to SLS.
IIRC SLS prints have greater material properties being more durable and less brittle than SLA prints but if all you're looking for is high detail and surface finish SLA would definitely be the better contender.
I suggest for sieving that you use a scoop to go from the huge container into the sieve, and have the sieves sit in the smaller translucent container. You should end up with a lot less airborne and mess.
Potential solution for separation of powder after print completion: Acoustic vibration? If you used a speaker to vibrate the parts, that may loosen the extra powder easier than manually poking at delicate structures.
Try consolidating the powder with a spatula. Wiggle the powder in the supply bed for a while and you will see it dip. This removes air trapped within the powder.
I was wondering about that, seeing that the powder was just left settling on its own. I'd definitely throw together a poor man's vibrator and stick it underneath.
I was all into these until I had some professionally printed parts done and compared them to my FDM and Resin prints.... Nope... no advantage in mechanical strength over FDM, and worse finish than Resin.
We made some fine powder grinding down material similar to sea shells. We took the shells into a machine to blast it. The powder came out isn't extremely fine. So it went through a sieving process. The result isn't the best as sieve holes cannot be too small or it will be very slow. If sieve hole is bigger, the powder quality goes down. After some fiddling, we flip the sieve upside down and use air to blow the powder, the finer dust will pass through the sieve easily. The bigger pieces usually fall down without blocking the sieve holes, they will be filled back to the grinding machine to blast again.
Hi, EOS operator here. The heated chamber actually isn’t really meant for baking the moisture out of the powder. You kind of want the powder to be “wet” as static powder is your biggest enemy in (industrial) sls printing. We keep our new powder in open air for at least 24 hours before usage and use a humidifier in the room
Wow and I thought I couldn't sit through MKBHD's 50 min iPhone video, but I just sat through 75 mins without even taking a break! Super informative. For some reason though, I heard "SLS" and saw the orange window and thought "You made a metal laser printer?!".
I have worked for the pharmaceutical industry in the capacity of a robotics engineer for most of my adult life at least the part that matters. Much of this time was spent with Optical and laser-based Robotics platforms. I have every single component that this machine uses but everything's scaled-up I have some $6,000 melles griot lasers. I have a couple of $14,000 spectra-physics blue lasers that have remote controls and you can dial in the power which is nice. I have a ton of galvanometers but they have beryllium mirrors which are optically perfectly flat and are horrendously expensive. The problem is everything is really big the mirrors are about 5 inches long and 2 and 1/2 inches wide problem that this machine has you would mention the lack of a theta control lense. The biggest problem that this machine has is that it requires a theta lense in the first place! I would absolutely never use this method for such an application. They should have used a smac drive which is basically a voice coil moving back and forth. You gain the benefit of this smac Dr going exactly where the output of the laser is at all times. It requires a pentaprism which I also have LOL it would significantly increase the price of the unit however. But would completely eliminate Divergence of the laser
I don't think the short with the laser would have killed the laser, but it's absolutely unacceptable how many rough edges this product has... amazing video in any case!
About an hour and a half to warm up, two hours to cool down, but still faster than my Ender 3 if I were to print something constrained to that build volume of this printer. The price tag... mmm... Expensive, but if quality is your game, then probably good. Forgetting the price, ignoring the cost to keep it running, I can't just ignore the mess. I don't like high maintenance anything, and getting a print done, then having to sift through the used powder really isn't for me. All that said, EXTREMELY extremely useful and VERY awesome information and presentation all around. I hit the subscribe button.
Love it! So much details in all your videos!!! Hey idea for you! How about a sand blast cabinet to sieve your powder and help contain it all then throw a computer fan with weights on it to help vibrate it. It has those built-in gloves, glass window and lights for like 150 at harbor freight
Fantastic video! Extremely much information layed down very clearly! You are truly a born teacher. What a huge amount of preparation has gone into this entire video. Complete with graphics and everything has been thoroughly explained and new knowledge can easily be absorbed by the listener!! Thank you so much for your generous sharing!
maby you allready now it but: print time is cool down time.. means you should leave the parts in the power cake as long as the job took to print.. that helps preventing warping.. nice vid, thanks for your time!
What a great way to present the principles of SLS with the construction of this printer. You did an awesome job weaving in the theory as well as the practicalities of the tech and also how this specific machine is put together to tackle the challenges of SLS. Also, when you were showing the back of the machine and limit switches I couldn't help but see the v-rollers as googly eyes haha
This is a long one! But definitely stick around until the end to watch this build come together and to see some of the awesome prints the Sintratec kit is capable of. Should you add this printer to your growing collection of CNC machines? I discuss the pros and cons of SLS printers so you can make an educated decision. This technology has special requirements but can produce strong end use parts with minimal post processing.
Growing collection? I don't even have a 3d printer let alone a collection of cnc machines. That has actually been the major hold up of designing this laser microscope which I am hoping will bring down the cost for researchers. Currently the prices run from $50-100k. I am aiming for a price of $1k but making a precision stage for my prototype by hand is not easy.
@@DrDFlo Yes. Since Blue Ray laser diodes have gotten very cheap you can get down to about 400nm resolution while also using them for many other things such as direct write lithography. But I also built a maskless UV lithography head that works on the same principle as a SLD printer. I need to get better accuracy/repeatability on the xy stage though for image stitching before I can release them. Right now after a couple steps across the substrate the alignment is no longer there. I am experimenting with some chemical machining now but so far that only works for thin parts. Ideally I would have a lathe to cut micrometer screws.
I use a 3D Systems resin SLA printer. Crashes are the worst. I will spend up to three hours cleaning out the delam layers out of the vat. If im lucky its a 45 min cleanup.
Great video. A lot going on. I would suggest purchasing a bead blast cabinet to reclaim the powder. You can reclaim sifted powder from the bottom of the cabinet minimizing all the mess.
Thx for the video. In metal casting we often reuse sand as filler material around the mold. I'm thinking that you probably could fill the first centimeter (or more, but I'll come to that) both cavities with pure screened nylon powder, using it as a pure heatbuffer. When casting materials that are prone to warping it is essential to place the form in the center of x y z and that the sand is as thick above and below the part as the distance from the part to the edges (frame material have a part in the amount of heat leeaching but that is the way to know the ballpark)
Made it nearly to the end before realizing that you were just printing nylon. I was assuming it was just the carrier for a metal. I use an M3-ID and a Prusa Mk3 to print nylon all the time. Admittedly, they are usually small parts and failure rate is high but man....that looks like such a monster headache for plain old nylon parts. You were certainly indispensable for the Voron build, but I think I'll be skipping this one. Terrific job though, really thorough, as usual.
I'm sure we will see on the channel a vibrating sieve holder to help separate the chunks from the old powder to make it a lesser dirty job, even just attaching a sieve to a multitool blade and multitool would work.
Great video, I didn't expect this kit to be such a box of parts! I guess I'm used to kits that have some things preassembled haha Only crituque I have is using an impact driver instead of cordless drill, good way to strip the thread off the screws or strip the head, they're overkill for just tightening screws.
Great Video, really comprehensive, gave good look at the issues with the system and some valuable tidbits and tricks with sls printing! Some good tunes in there too. Thanks!
Great video, you got me hooked during the whole time. I have worked as field services engineer with MJF and you explained pretty well all the powder, heat, nesting issues
@@DrDFlo Sinterit makes a similar machine called Lisa, and Formlabs has the Fuse 1. Sintratec is definately not the only company that tries to build and sell Desktop SLS machines...
@@ProtonOne11 The Fuse 1 starts at over $18k. The Lisa doesn't even list the price for just the base model, so it's probably over $15k as well. He said "as accessible as possible," so at the ~$7k price point, he's not wrong.
Diode beams can be circular with fast axis corrective optics mounted inside the package. This is usually reserved to very high end diodes that you don't typically buy online though.. custom stuff and half a million dollar runs etc.
was quite the interesting look into the this process. Also real easy to see how its price can climb up rapidly. Given the apparent precision of SLS made parts I wonder if they are sometimes the basis for molds used for poured metal processes or even building the metal dies for injection molding systems. And for some humor at 59:45 "Who are you going to call?" the plasma cutter torch seriously looks like a neutrino wand from the proton pack
Dr.D-Flo, excellent video! You should maybe think about incorporating a conical section, your sieve, and a smaller container in the bottom of your dust collector to get your powder ready quicker for your next print. As usual, your videos are an inspiration to me to create things for my shop. Thanks!!
It was at 8:29 that I decided to like this video and my respect for you has skyrocketed. You are using Precision Ground 123 blocks and precision ground squares. 👌 NOW you have my full attention.
26:45 I doubt that someone in switzerland is even able to soulder a connection that bad, made in Swiss is something else :) As you said, the kit is good but with minimal tweaks it could be way better...
Thank you for sharing, I am also making sls 3D printer, the first model is a large-size industrial-grade machine, is currently in the stage of debugging laser mirror, will be completed by the end of this year. Later I'll upload some of the production process to UA-cam, and I plan to start making desktop-grade sls3D printers next year at a lower price
Why not use a scale for mixing the powders? Use a hand shovel for pouring powder into the sieves? Use a shaker table for the sieves, so you don't have to do the mechanical work yourself? That could also be useful for when mixing powder, as you'll have constant movement of the particles allowing them to mix easier?
Really excellent video, cheers for the in-depth look at the entire machine, the build and the logistics of using it. Very helpful for prospective buyers! Having built the kit, do you think it would be possible to add in a few more heaters and thermistors (controlled externally perhaps) around the build chamber? It seems that a few smaller heaters placed strategically could help eliminate some of the cold spots, since right now it looks like it is relying on that big one in the back to get everything evenly heated. Definitely looks like you could slide an f-theta in there if the laser platform was raised up a bit. Great stuff, thanks!
You should join the OpenFuse discord. I’m upgrading the printer now with a CO2 laser, new larger galvos, and f-theta lens. More heating elements in the works too!
When dealing with powders that float in the air so you could breathe them, if your body cannot easily dissolve and carry them away (breathing silica or plastic), I suggest ventilation and a half-mask respirator with P95 or P100 filters. Respirator around $40. Replacement lungs, rather more. I agree the soldering job was bad. Note: a short across the laser diode terminals wouldn't fry the laser, because there wouldn't be any voltage across it. If anything was damaged it would be the laser driver or power supply (if not overcurrent protected), maybe the wire insulation would melt.
Time of SLS printing is comparable with SLA, DLP or similar printing technologies. SLS is simple the winner in user friendly due to supports, but not private customer friendly due to the price. But the development goes in the right direction.
i would add a plasic bag in the dust collector.. makes more easy to get the pouder out... close bag.. make a hole and done :) also you might be able to use the wind power to sift through the pouder while collecting :)
I think around 5.48 u left stuff in the door hehe awesome printing technique i can imagine one of these appearing on wish etc for around 1k with the same build quality but pre assembled that i wld definitely want
Nice demonstration, especially good to show how messy of a process this is. I definately prefer to order SLS parts from professional manufacturers when FFF does not cut it and it's required for a project. Keeps my workshop clean, and with the cost of that printer alone i can buy quite a lot of parts.
For a fine powder like that, you really want a cyclone with a small diameter. The diameter will dictate how fast the air travels through the separator and the centrifugal force will follow. There are models for that on thingiverse, and for a large shopvac you can make parallel systems. :)
You should build a smaller vacuum chamber and add the sieves into the top of the chamber and add something to vibrate them. That way you can auto sieve it as you vacuum. You'd also solve the problem of transferring from a larger bin to a smaller bin. Nice video, printer seemed nice but for sure the price of both the consumables and printer are far to high for the quality and overall cost of the parts for the printer.. I understand they need to make up for time and r&d, but that price is far beyond the build sheet costs.
Watched the whole thing, and was well informed on the technology by the video. I knew the basics of the technology, but this made me realize a bit more of how this kind of 3D-printing is so smart and practical. Can't wait for this technology to drop in price just like FDM did
Maybe add a couple of those aluminum encased resistors and independent temperature controllers for the top of the front and dump sides of the print bin. It might help those two sides.
Awesome video, makes me want to save money for a SLS printer. If you haven't already, please get some properly sized funnels for your powder sieving and mixing process. 🙂
Very interesting printer and printing process. Still too expensive for the average hobbyist compared to resin printing. Will be interesting to see if prices will come down one day as they have with other technologies.
It seams like a lot of stuff that could be improved on the SLS printers still. Like a simple bed heat feedback system and matrix heating elements. Better insulation could improve the heating speed and uniformity. There is also plenty of cost reduction posibilites.
Great video and well worth the watch. I love to see where technology like this is going and very glad to see it is coming down in price. Ready for an update of Lukes progress too. Dont think I will be adding one of these to my setup anytime soon though, that mess is just too much for me. That is the reason I have not bought a resin printer.
jump forward to present (dec 2023)- is this printer still one of the few consumer SLS machines available? Laser powered modules have increased in power since then. Hopefully there is more competition now. The Sintrack kit noew sells for about $8kusd.
the proprietary laser unit probably won't fry, because it's shorted in the input, so no voltage or current enters the laser unit. instead, the power supply of the machine and PWM control unit/mosfet will most likely be fried, because their output is shorted.
Thank you for the product review. It seems like the kit should be priced at $2000-$3000 because of the potential problems of assembly, test and calibration.
53:32 Look at all of that wasted plastic being vacuumed. I hope you've learnt the plastic can go through a few heat cycles before it starts to act weird in your SLS. I used to work at an SLS printing company ;)
You fixed the laser terminals with hot glue - on a device that sits in a hot enclosure reaching 170°C? Are you sure it's cold enough out there where the laser lives? The chamber is actively ventilated so that's good, but how much power emission do you expect from the laser? Hot glue can start becoming electrically conductive above 60°C, even before it appears molten, also all manner of bad things happen to it, you'd be lucky if it holds on. The insulation i'd trust would probably be Silastic, or Kapton tape would be fine in a pinch. You have it, i can see that you have Kapton. Secret top tip: alcohol vapour can be used to cleanly remove most hot melt glue formulations. Just dab a few drops around the blob and wait for maybe 10-15 seconds for it to do its magic. Both ethanol and isopropanol work for this purpose. Something i have discovered - from UA-cam comments no less - about Nylon is that it gains all of its flexibility and strength specifically from water, which it sucks out of the atmosphere and incorporates in between the polymer, and parts are conditioned under moist atmosphere for a number of hours to reach their final strength. I have tested this myself. I have found a bag of zipties at the bottom of one of the boxes, that sat on top of a heated floor for like 10 years. The zipties were protected from UV but they lost moisture, they became super brittle, they would crumble in my fingers. I put the remaining ones in a plastic bag with a teaspoon full of water, and after several days, i tested them again, and they were tough and flexible as new!
A lot of things I can think of here that could be problems with the design. What is the surface temperature of that rear heater? Generally, a heater can reach a very high surface temperature in order to quickly heat whatever they’re being used for. The concern regards both the Teflon rollers and the switches, both of which sit just a scant inch or two away. After some time, I would expect them to become degraded. I’m also not sanguine about those seals for the powder lifts. I can already see slight space between the cloth and the sides of the chambers in a few spots. The chamber openings at the rear of the chambers, needed for the lift movements, can’t be totally sealed. Powder will accumulate on that cloth surface, which isn’t smooth. As it moves up and down, powder will get between it, and the rear aluminum sheet. I can think of better ways to do this. There are products called funnels. I think we’ve all heard of them. There are funnels for powders. I use them for my powder coat powders. There are small ones, and large ones. Or just make your own from a thin sheet of plastic. So, what happens when printing a hollow object that’s closed? Is it filled with unused powder that can’t be removed? I suspect it is. So all objects need to have openings large enough to allow the powder to be vacuumed out, and perhaps washed out. My advice? Wait for version 2.
It costs 6k and it's using v wheels and bar stock for the spreader AND threaded rod instead of ball screws? Dang they are cheap.
ya i saw about 400$ IN PARTS, the most expensive being the 2.3w diode at about 130$. I have 2 20win 5w out diode laser engravers
@@chrisfrisch1347 powerful lasers are pretty easy to get these days. For 6k I'd expect way better parts, like that special lense for example.
@@chrisfrisch1347 you could only recently barely buy a resin printer for around that price what are you talking about
hell yeah b/c engineering, design, prototyping, optimization, manufacturing, inventory, logistics, quality assurance, reliability, software, PR, none of those cost any money
@@jesusisalive3227 especially when everything's already made in china
This channel is criminally underrated! That printer is so cool, and I'd imagine with an upgrade to the laser it could even sinter metal
No it can't.
In reference to your comment about the quality of the solder points on the laser; I'm an industry professional in additive (worked as a lead tech for an OEM for a commercial grade DLP printer for 5 years, now as a field engineer in SLA/SLS) you would be appalled at the quality of some of the components that come out of the factory in commercial and industrial grade machines, pushing the price $500,000 price points, before turnkey installations.
But I can guarantee you that the majority of the cost of that printer is focused around the optical plate and the laser itself. I am somewhat surprised at the quality of the diode though. Especially with the lack of the F-Theta lens. (Though that's usually why companies stay at the lower build envelope size, as the logic involved in rectifying the focus during a build is where most of the complexity in these machines comes into play)
Truly excellent intro to SLS printing. I am pretty familiar with FDM printing. This was great way to see the fundamental technology hands on. Your explanations and tips were spot on. My first impression was that this was a metal cable printer then realized you can use only TPE and PA12. Still pretty awesome. Would love to see a low-cost Metal printing SLS demo.
I bet you with some additional modifications to the laser source and optics, you could gain the ability to sinter metal powder. Aluminum has a melting point of 660°C (1220°F), but keep in mind that the sintering temperature can be quite a bit lower for many metals. Some aluminum alloys and such can be sintered at 590C according to: www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1727
@Brandon Smith maybe with a 30W source... i still doubt it though... the scan speeds would have to be cut to at least a quarter of what they are now... The galvos usually run in a close to resonance mode and changing the scan speed will significantly impact the accuracy of the system.
@@MasterThief117 i work with sls polymer and dmls metal printers and although looking through the window they look like the same process they are quite a way apart in real terms. even this version of sls technology is using workarounds for the diode laser source to work with the plastic (it has to be pigmented here for the laser to be absorbed)- theres also no gas shield - even sls uses nitrogen, dmls uses nitrogen or argon depending on the metal as it oxidises on contact with the laser. then theres the issue of the condensates given off by the process - fancy some spontaneous combustion? Id love the technology to trickle down to enthusiast level too but its a way off yet .
@@MasterThief117 argon is heavyer then air ,so u need some cup like sealed bottom get smart valve that monitor how much liters u can release (let say u need 3 l per print ) ,switch galvo with fiber laser 30w can eat any metal ,and last super expensive metal dust at 160+$ per kg ,after print you need some heated box that can heat up to 900c to fuse metal part and stress out from print ,and bill will go 3k for fibre + some add parts for argon + bottle 3-400 , and heated box you can get one jewelers use for 1.2k and load metal dust and have fun
This is a low cost sls demonstration lmao
These are the best 1 hr 16 min I have to spend. One of the finest pieces of content to study the understanding of printers.
Thank you Dr. D-Flo for such amazing content.
No problem man! I appreciate the kind words
Dr.D-Flo, every content that you're putting out is captivating and well paced in explanations. Thank you for your generosity for sharing your knowledge with the curious youtubers like me. Be blessed. Salutations from France.
Wow. It wasn't just a build video but a master class in how SLS is done!
The honesty while putting this together was very refreshing for youtube! It makes for a much more believable review when you point out all the negatives and how they can be fixed. 👍
Crazy impressive man. Just everything is impressive. Your knowledge on these subjects, how you explain and I actually understand, and your results. I've never heard of this type of printing, but that was a very interesting video and well done. I really like watching your videos because they are entertaining, and I really do learn a lot of things. I set up Twin Turn CNC Lathes at my work, and pretty much all your videos better help me understand the components and concepts behind machinery, electronics, and just how things work. Can't thank you enough!
The entire 76 minutes were informative and well presented. Your comments on the kit and its quality issues came across objective and fair. This is a big step up from some of your earlier content which was more on the humorous side.
Man I’m getting older... just want to make content that is educational and interesting to me.
Add a heatsink on that laser diode, will increase its life span.
Look at the duty cycle. It's hardly powered up. Not a concern.
I think using the vibration of the hoover can be used to vibrate the powder true the filter into a cone shape collector underneath the container of your hoover. This way you don't make a mess and automatically separate the useful from the usefulness powder
Can't wait until SLS printers drastically drop in price. FDM and SLA machines used to be expensive many years ago
Printing enthusiasts and engineers have been waiting SO long for it. It opens the doors WIDE open for possibility especially when metal sls is affordable for home gamers.
I checked their website, 6k Is acceptable price. Imagine if we fish most the plastics out from the Oceans, then grid them in fine powder and use it in SLS Printers.
@@tigre3droyce771 grind into powder need another machine.. sigh...
Hopefully Sintratec has payed attention, and cares about customer experience, easy for them to remedy these issues, what a great video to help them advance too another level, or too end up another dumpster fire!!..Well done!!
i dont often comment on videos but i am currently studying level 3 engineering and your video has been very informative for my additive manufacturing assignment, thanks a very well execute video.
@Dr. D-Flo - TIPP: u gotta roll the zyclone container while u pour out the powder, when u use a relatively small container as u did, in order not to spill that much nylon powder :)
used this method with any high viscosity fluid and solids and it worked like a charme so far (works with grounded coffee as well)
Thanks! I appreciate the tip and will try that out 👍
Corection on 24:08
The actual "motor" sits in the silver part of the galvo. It is a permanent magnet glued on the shaft driven by 2 coils.
The black thing houses sensors for the closed loop system. In most cases there are a couple photodiodes inside, some infrared leds and a "cut out disc" that is connected to the shaft.
PS. The optical system can be made preaty cheap you can get the galvo for about ~200$ some time you can get 30kpps glavos for under 100$ from china. The laser diode would be 2-30$ depending on the Wattage, the holder you can probly diy, the correction optics are just prisms because blue lasers make a line/ rectangle and you correct it so it makes a "quadrat"(don't know the english word for it right now, it's german)
Lenses are cheap when you go with standard sizes....
And for larger build volume you can copy the beambrush technoligy by Pangolin Laser systems. With that you change the focus with a galvo or use a longer focal lenght...
I used to do a lot of SLS printing with Shapeways until I got my own resin printers. The detail is so much better, even on a low end printer. I don't know why I would go back to SLS.
IIRC SLS prints have greater material properties being more durable and less brittle than SLA prints but if all you're looking for is high detail and surface finish SLA would definitely be the better contender.
they have designed these remarkable implements called "funnels" you know
I suggest for sieving that you use a scoop to go from the huge container into the sieve, and have the sieves sit in the smaller translucent container. You should end up with a lot less airborne and mess.
I feel like Dr.D-Flow is a perfect match for Battlebots. I hope this plants a seed. I look forward to a 2 hour long construction video.
D
Potential solution for separation of powder after print completion: Acoustic vibration? If you used a speaker to vibrate the parts, that may loosen the extra powder easier than manually poking at delicate structures.
Try consolidating the powder with a spatula. Wiggle the powder in the supply bed for a while and you will see it dip. This removes air trapped within the powder.
I was wondering about that, seeing that the powder was just left settling on its own. I'd definitely throw together a poor man's vibrator and stick it underneath.
Would be sick if you could do material stress tests, and compare them to something equivalent on a FFF. Maybe send parts to CNCkitchen?
I was all into these until I had some professionally printed parts done and compared them to my FDM and Resin prints.... Nope... no advantage in mechanical strength over FDM, and worse finish than Resin.
@@spinnetti Has many advantages.
We made some fine powder grinding down material similar to sea shells.
We took the shells into a machine to blast it. The powder came out isn't extremely fine.
So it went through a sieving process. The result isn't the best as sieve holes cannot be too small
or it will be very slow. If sieve hole is bigger, the powder quality goes down.
After some fiddling, we flip the sieve upside down and use air to blow the powder, the finer dust
will pass through the sieve easily. The bigger pieces usually fall down without blocking the sieve holes,
they will be filled back to the grinding machine to blast again.
Hi, EOS operator here. The heated chamber actually isn’t really meant for baking the moisture out of the powder. You kind of want the powder to be “wet” as static powder is your biggest enemy in (industrial) sls printing. We keep our new powder in open air for at least 24 hours before usage and use a humidifier in the room
Wow and I thought I couldn't sit through MKBHD's 50 min iPhone video, but I just sat through 75 mins without even taking a break! Super informative. For some reason though, I heard "SLS" and saw the orange window and thought "You made a metal laser printer?!".
Yah the terminology for powder bed fusion is not the clearest. Typically, SLS is for plastic powders and SLM or DMLM is used for metal.
I have worked for the pharmaceutical industry in the capacity of a robotics engineer for most of my adult life at least the part that matters. Much of this time was spent with Optical and laser-based Robotics platforms. I have every single component that this machine uses but everything's scaled-up I have some $6,000 melles griot lasers. I have a couple of $14,000 spectra-physics blue lasers that have remote controls and you can dial in the power which is nice. I have a ton of galvanometers but they have beryllium mirrors which are optically perfectly flat and are horrendously expensive. The problem is everything is really big the mirrors are about 5 inches long and 2 and 1/2 inches wide problem that this machine has you would mention the lack of a theta control lense. The biggest problem that this machine has is that it requires a theta lense in the first place! I would absolutely never use this method for such an application. They should have used a smac drive which is basically a voice coil moving back and forth. You gain the benefit of this smac Dr going exactly where the output of the laser is at all times. It requires a pentaprism which I also have LOL it would significantly increase the price of the unit however. But would completely eliminate Divergence of the laser
Awesome content David. I have not seen many videos on SLS and this one definitely covers all the bases. Stellar work.
I don't think the short with the laser would have killed the laser, but it's absolutely unacceptable how many rough edges this product has... amazing video in any case!
About an hour and a half to warm up, two hours to cool down, but still faster than my Ender 3 if I were to print something constrained to that build volume of this printer. The price tag... mmm... Expensive, but if quality is your game, then probably good.
Forgetting the price, ignoring the cost to keep it running, I can't just ignore the mess. I don't like high maintenance anything, and getting a print done, then having to sift through the used powder really isn't for me.
All that said, EXTREMELY extremely useful and VERY awesome information and presentation all around.
I hit the subscribe button.
Love it! So much details in all your videos!!! Hey idea for you! How about a sand blast cabinet to sieve your powder and help contain it all then throw a computer fan with weights on it to help vibrate it. It has those built-in gloves, glass window and lights for like 150 at harbor freight
Fantastic video! Extremely much information layed down very clearly! You are truly a born teacher. What a huge amount of preparation has gone into this entire video. Complete with graphics and everything has been thoroughly explained and new knowledge can easily be absorbed by the listener!! Thank you so much for your generous sharing!
maby you allready now it but: print time is cool down time.. means you should leave the parts in the power cake as long as the job took to print.. that helps preventing warping.. nice vid, thanks for your time!
What a great way to present the principles of SLS with the construction of this printer. You did an awesome job weaving in the theory as well as the practicalities of the tech and also how this specific machine is put together to tackle the challenges of SLS. Also, when you were showing the back of the machine and limit switches I couldn't help but see the v-rollers as googly eyes haha
This is a long one! But definitely stick around until the end to watch this build come together and to see some of the awesome prints the Sintratec kit is capable of. Should you add this printer to your growing collection of CNC machines? I discuss the pros and cons of SLS printers so you can make an educated decision. This technology has special requirements but can produce strong end use parts with minimal post processing.
Growing collection? I don't even have a 3d printer let alone a collection of cnc machines.
That has actually been the major hold up of designing this laser microscope which I am hoping will bring down the cost for researchers. Currently the prices run from $50-100k. I am aiming for a price of $1k but making a precision stage for my prototype by hand is not easy.
@@excitedbox5705 Confocal microscope?
@@DrDFlo Yes. Since Blue Ray laser diodes have gotten very cheap you can get down to about 400nm resolution while also using them for many other things such as direct write lithography. But I also built a maskless UV lithography head that works on the same principle as a SLD printer. I need to get better accuracy/repeatability on the xy stage though for image stitching before I can release them.
Right now after a couple steps across the substrate the alignment is no longer there. I am experimenting with some chemical machining now but so far that only works for thin parts. Ideally I would have a lathe to cut micrometer screws.
@@DrDFlo do you have $100,000 or more to spare? I could build one for you. I’m not even profiting at that price.
I am really wanting to buy one of these kits... i'm curious have you used any metal powders instead of nylon??
I use a 3D Systems resin SLA printer. Crashes are the worst. I will spend up to three hours cleaning out the delam layers out of the vat. If im lucky its a 45 min cleanup.
Great video. A lot going on. I would suggest purchasing a bead blast cabinet to reclaim the powder. You can reclaim sifted powder from the bottom of the cabinet minimizing all the mess.
Awesome video! I'm excited to see these machines come into the hobbyist level more often.
Thx for the video.
In metal casting we often reuse sand as filler material around the mold. I'm thinking that you probably could fill the first centimeter (or more, but I'll come to that) both cavities with pure screened nylon powder, using it as a pure heatbuffer.
When casting materials that are prone to warping it is essential to place the form in the center of x y z and that the sand is as thick above and below the part as the distance from the part to the edges (frame material have a part in the amount of heat leeaching but that is the way to know the ballpark)
I sticked to my phone until the end, i'm impressed about how well SLS works
Made it nearly to the end before realizing that you were just printing nylon. I was assuming it was just the carrier for a metal. I use an M3-ID and a Prusa Mk3 to print nylon all the time. Admittedly, they are usually small parts and failure rate is high but man....that looks like such a monster headache for plain old nylon parts. You were certainly indispensable for the Voron build, but I think I'll be skipping this one. Terrific job though, really thorough, as usual.
Haven't finished the video, but I love the fact that they included a surge protector.
I'm sure we will see on the channel a vibrating sieve holder to help separate the chunks from the old powder to make it a lesser dirty job, even just attaching a sieve to a multitool blade and multitool would work.
Great video, I didn't expect this kit to be such a box of parts!
I guess I'm used to kits that have some things preassembled haha
Only crituque I have is using an impact driver instead of cordless drill, good way to strip the thread off the screws or strip the head, they're overkill for just tightening screws.
Great Video, really comprehensive, gave good look at the issues with the system and some valuable tidbits and tricks with sls printing! Some good tunes in there too. Thanks!
Great video, you got me hooked during the whole time. I have worked as field services engineer with MJF and you explained pretty well all the powder, heat, nesting issues
Appreciate it man!
Great work! Thank you for the detailed workflow.
Thank you for making this kit! Sintratec is the only company that is trying to make this technology as accessible as possible. Cheers!
@@DrDFlo Sinterit makes a similar machine called Lisa, and Formlabs has the Fuse 1. Sintratec is definately not the only company that tries to build and sell Desktop SLS machines...
@@ProtonOne11 The Fuse 1 starts at over $18k. The Lisa doesn't even list the price for just the base model, so it's probably over $15k as well.
He said "as accessible as possible," so at the ~$7k price point, he's not wrong.
Very cool, I ran SLS machines for a few years in 2003-ish. Fun stuff...it can do so much.
Diode beams can be circular with fast axis corrective optics mounted inside the package. This is usually reserved to very high end diodes that you don't typically buy online though.. custom stuff and half a million dollar runs etc.
was quite the interesting look into the this process. Also real easy to see how its price can climb up rapidly. Given the apparent precision of SLS made parts I wonder if they are sometimes the basis for molds used for poured metal processes or even building the metal dies for injection molding systems.
And for some humor at 59:45 "Who are you going to call?" the plasma cutter torch seriously looks like a neutrino wand from the proton pack
Dr.D-Flo, excellent video! You should maybe think about incorporating a conical section, your sieve,
and a smaller container in the bottom of your dust collector to get your powder ready quicker for your next print. As usual, your videos are an inspiration to me to create things for my shop. Thanks!!
Great overview!
Nice to see you can heat press the threaded inserts into the Nylon Material also.
It was at 8:29 that I decided to like this video and my respect for you has skyrocketed. You are using Precision Ground 123 blocks and precision ground squares. 👌 NOW you have my full attention.
Been a while since I sat around for an hour without skipping any part of the video. Great job as always!
Whats that powder cost? Edit: $160/kilo
$10/kilo from china
@@henrychan720 where?
@@Mu1e0 alibaba
@@henrychan720 Might get sand, might get what you ordered... You never know until it arrives.
@@dustinmeier9753 Alibaba is not wish. You get buyer protection just like on eBay. I got a kilo of nylon 6,6 and it works just fine.
UG tools uses PA11 for knife sheaths as well. And SLS for titanium knife handles
Nice demonstration and assembly of SLS Printer as well as explanation about SLS and manufactured product from SLS Printer
Gilbeaux's need to be tuned with a signal generator as well. It's fairly simple process of bringing them into have a nice Square wave
You did really good...not an easy build by any standard, well done.
26:45 I doubt that someone in switzerland is even able to soulder a connection that bad, made in Swiss is something else :) As you said, the kit is good but with minimal tweaks it could be way better...
Excellent video. I will get one of these. Wish the resolution can be higher. Question, how come inert gas is not used?
Thank you for sharing, I am also making sls 3D printer, the first model is a large-size industrial-grade machine, is currently in the stage of debugging laser mirror, will be completed by the end of this year. Later I'll upload some of the production process to UA-cam, and I plan to start making desktop-grade sls3D printers next year at a lower price
Why not use a scale for mixing the powders?
Use a hand shovel for pouring powder into the sieves?
Use a shaker table for the sieves, so you don't have to do the mechanical work yourself? That could also be useful for when mixing powder, as you'll have constant movement of the particles allowing them to mix easier?
Really excellent video, cheers for the in-depth look at the entire machine, the build and the logistics of using it. Very helpful for prospective buyers! Having built the kit, do you think it would be possible to add in a few more heaters and thermistors (controlled externally perhaps) around the build chamber? It seems that a few smaller heaters placed strategically could help eliminate some of the cold spots, since right now it looks like it is relying on that big one in the back to get everything evenly heated. Definitely looks like you could slide an f-theta in there if the laser platform was raised up a bit.
Great stuff, thanks!
You should join the OpenFuse discord. I’m upgrading the printer now with a CO2 laser, new larger galvos, and f-theta lens. More heating elements in the works too!
@@DrDFlo will join, thanks for the tip! The hackability of the machine definitely seems like a nice benefit!
Seems like an ideal product, especially for schools.
When dealing with powders that float in the air so you could breathe them, if your body cannot easily dissolve and carry them away (breathing silica or plastic), I suggest ventilation and a half-mask respirator with P95 or P100 filters. Respirator around $40. Replacement lungs, rather more.
I agree the soldering job was bad. Note: a short across the laser diode terminals wouldn't fry the laser, because there wouldn't be any voltage across it. If anything was damaged it would be the laser driver or power supply (if not overcurrent protected), maybe the wire insulation would melt.
You left a zip tie tail on the right side and it’s driving me crazy 😂
Time of SLS printing is comparable with SLA, DLP or similar printing technologies.
SLS is simple the winner in user friendly due to supports, but not private customer friendly due to the price. But the development goes in the right direction.
Be nice for you to include Imperial and Fahrenheit information as well being in the USA.
i would add a plasic bag in the dust collector.. makes more easy to get the pouder out... close bag.. make a hole and done :)
also you might be able to use the wind power to sift through the pouder while collecting :)
Learning so much with your videos about 3D! Regards from Spain!
I think around 5.48 u left stuff in the door hehe awesome printing technique i can imagine one of these appearing on wish etc for around 1k with the same build quality but pre assembled that i wld definitely want
Nice demonstration, especially good to show how messy of a process this is. I definately prefer to order SLS parts from professional manufacturers when FFF does not cut it and it's required for a project. Keeps my workshop clean, and with the cost of that printer alone i can buy quite a lot of parts.
For a fine powder like that, you really want a cyclone with a small diameter. The diameter will dictate how fast the air travels through the separator and the centrifugal force will follow. There are models for that on thingiverse, and for a large shopvac you can make parallel systems. :)
You should build a smaller vacuum chamber and add the sieves into the top of the chamber and add something to vibrate them. That way you can auto sieve it as you vacuum. You'd also solve the problem of transferring from a larger bin to a smaller bin.
Nice video, printer seemed nice but for sure the price of both the consumables and printer are far to high for the quality and overall cost of the parts for the printer.. I understand they need to make up for time and r&d, but that price is far beyond the build sheet costs.
Watched the whole thing, and was well informed on the technology by the video. I knew the basics of the technology, but this made me realize a bit more of how this kind of 3D-printing is so smart and practical. Can't wait for this technology to drop in price just like FDM did
Maybe add a couple of those aluminum encased resistors and independent temperature controllers for the top of the front and dump sides of the print bin. It might help those two sides.
Won't the hot glue you put in the laser melt ?
Awesome video, makes me want to save money for a SLS printer. If you haven't already, please get some properly sized funnels for your powder sieving and mixing process. 🙂
Very interesting printer and printing process. Still too expensive for the average hobbyist compared to resin printing. Will be interesting to see if prices will come down one day as they have with other technologies.
It seams like a lot of stuff that could be improved on the SLS printers still. Like a simple bed heat feedback system and matrix heating elements.
Better insulation could improve the heating speed and uniformity. There is also plenty of cost reduction posibilites.
Great video and well worth the watch. I love to see where technology like this is going and very glad to see it is coming down in price. Ready for an update of Lukes progress too. Dont think I will be adding one of these to my setup anytime soon though, that mess is just too much for me. That is the reason I have not bought a resin printer.
That torch mount is so cool!
Can this printer print any metall powder
In the molding industry we use a wire imbedded conveying line
jump forward to present (dec 2023)- is this printer still one of the few consumer SLS machines available? Laser powered modules have increased in power since then. Hopefully there is more competition now. The Sintrack kit noew sells for about $8kusd.
Imagine getting a stronger lazer mounting is and then putting powder metal in there wonder if that would work
Excellent tutorial, excellent technician / engineer!
the proprietary laser unit probably won't fry, because it's shorted in the input, so no voltage or current enters the laser unit. instead, the power supply of the machine and PWM control unit/mosfet will most likely be fried, because their output is shorted.
Thank you for the product review. It seems like the kit should be priced at $2000-$3000 because of the potential problems of assembly, test and calibration.
53:32 Look at all of that wasted plastic being vacuumed. I hope you've learnt the plastic can go through a few heat cycles before it starts to act weird in your SLS.
I used to work at an SLS printing company ;)
You fixed the laser terminals with hot glue - on a device that sits in a hot enclosure reaching 170°C? Are you sure it's cold enough out there where the laser lives? The chamber is actively ventilated so that's good, but how much power emission do you expect from the laser? Hot glue can start becoming electrically conductive above 60°C, even before it appears molten, also all manner of bad things happen to it, you'd be lucky if it holds on. The insulation i'd trust would probably be Silastic, or Kapton tape would be fine in a pinch. You have it, i can see that you have Kapton.
Secret top tip: alcohol vapour can be used to cleanly remove most hot melt glue formulations. Just dab a few drops around the blob and wait for maybe 10-15 seconds for it to do its magic. Both ethanol and isopropanol work for this purpose.
Something i have discovered - from UA-cam comments no less - about Nylon is that it gains all of its flexibility and strength specifically from water, which it sucks out of the atmosphere and incorporates in between the polymer, and parts are conditioned under moist atmosphere for a number of hours to reach their final strength. I have tested this myself. I have found a bag of zipties at the bottom of one of the boxes, that sat on top of a heated floor for like 10 years. The zipties were protected from UV but they lost moisture, they became super brittle, they would crumble in my fingers. I put the remaining ones in a plastic bag with a teaspoon full of water, and after several days, i tested them again, and they were tough and flexible as new!
So concise and well presented! A joy to watch. Learned quite a lot also.
I would suggest a vacuum table over which to handle the powder.
Not gonna lie. I kind of want to buy this kit. Maybe next year. Easier to justify the purchase when it’s over a year away.
You got me at, "let's build something using lasers!" or at least that is what I heard in my head! Lol
Great project! And a great introduction to SLS along the way!
And the truth is, this printer tech has a huge potential to be bought at creality level.
A lot of things I can think of here that could be problems with the design. What is the surface temperature of that rear heater? Generally, a heater can reach a very high surface temperature in order to quickly heat whatever they’re being used for. The concern regards both the Teflon rollers and the switches, both of which sit just a scant inch or two away. After some time, I would expect them to become degraded.
I’m also not sanguine about those seals for the powder lifts. I can already see slight space between the cloth and the sides of the chambers in a few spots. The chamber openings at the rear of the chambers, needed for the lift movements, can’t be totally sealed. Powder will accumulate on that cloth surface, which isn’t smooth. As it moves up and down, powder will get between it, and the rear aluminum sheet. I can think of better ways to do this.
There are products called funnels. I think we’ve all heard of them. There are funnels for powders. I use them for my powder coat powders. There are small ones, and large ones. Or just make your own from a thin sheet of plastic.
So, what happens when printing a hollow object that’s closed? Is it filled with unused powder that can’t be removed? I suspect it is. So all objects need to have openings large enough to allow the powder to be vacuumed out, and perhaps washed out.
My advice? Wait for version 2.