Rapid prototyping methods

[ajoker]

FDM Fused deposition Modeling: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fused_deposition_modeling

 

SLS selective laser sintering: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_laser_sintering

 

SLA Stereolithography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereolithography

[ajoker]

In my experience i have found the following:

 

FDM quick and relativly inexpencive, although surface quality and part strength are not great.

 

SLA good quality reproduction of surfaces, parts fragile and prone to warping.

 

SLS using styreen, good quality parts, relativly robust, surface texture can be grainy. SLS can also be used with metalic powders, i have only used stainless steel, which produced excelent detail and strength parts.

 

SLA and SLS are good for creating silicon moulds from if the surface is prepaired ie smoothed.

 

Other methods i have used are mill from billet which gives excelent parts but is limited by section thickness and some finer detail.