Laser Micro Sintering was introduced to the international community of freeform fabrication engineers in 2003 and has since been employed for a variety of applications. It owes its unique features to certain effects of q-switched pulses that formerly had been considered detrimental in selective laser sintering. Besides sub-micrometer sized powders also materials with grain sizes of 1-10 micrometers can be sintered. Surface and morphology of the product are influenced by grain size and process environment. First results have been achieved with processing ceramic materials. A comprehensive overview of the process and the features is given supported by experimental evidence. Routes of further development are indicated.
Miniaturization is one of the main imperatives in high‐tech development and therefore a persistent challenge for mechanical engineering. Recently a freeform technique – Laser Micro Sintering – has been developed by which micro parts with an overall resolution of 30 μm can be produced from powder materials. The technique is a generative freeform fabrication method based on selective laser sintering; it can produce hollows and undercuts and does not afford shape‐specific tools. Functional micro bodies can be generated from metals and ceramics.
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