We print in two powders on an industrial SLS printer:
Nylon 11
PA11
Selective laser sintering (SLS) · dark grey parts
PA11 is nylon 11. It is ductile, which means it bends before it breaks. That suits parts that flex, snap together or take knocks, such as clips, snap fits and living hinges, as well as stiffer ones like brackets, housings, jigs and fixtures. We print PA11 on an industrial SLS printer, then blast-clean and polish every part. Parts come out dark grey, the material’s own colour. It works for a single functional prototype and for a small batch of the same part.
Good for
- Brackets, clips and housings
- Living hinges and snap fits
- Jigs and fixtures
- Functional prototypes and small batches
Finishes and lead time
- Finishes: Blasted and polished
- Typical lead time: 4 business days; +1 day for 20 pieces or more. Business days are Monday to Friday, counted from the successful payment; shipping time is on top.
Size
- Largest part: 150 × 150 × 295 mm, in any orientation
- Smallest features: walls at least 0.6 mm; holes at least 1 mm
- Instant quote: a part whose longest side is under 2 mm is refused, and one whose thinnest side is under 0.6 mm gets a warning
Thermoplastic polyurethane
TPU 90A
Selective laser sintering (SLS) · grey parts
TPU 90A is the flexible one: a printed part has a Shore hardness of 90A, so it bends and squeezes. That suits gaskets, seals, grips, straps, bumpers, cushioning, soft-touch covers and shoe soles. We print it on an industrial SLS printer, then blast-clean and polish every part; parts come out grey. We ask for walls of at least 1.0 mm in this material, thicker than in PA11, so check thin sections before you upload.
Good for
- Gaskets and seals
- Grips, straps and bumpers
- Cushioning and soft-touch covers
- Shoe soles
Finishes and lead time
- Finishes: Blasted and polished
- Typical lead time: 4 business days; +1 day for 20 pieces or more. Business days are Monday to Friday, counted from the successful payment; shipping time is on top.
Size
- Largest part: 150 × 150 × 290 mm, in any orientation
- Smallest features: walls at least 1.0 mm (vertical and horizontal); holes at least 1.0 mm; at least two escape holes 4 mm or wider per enclosed cavity
- Instant quote: a part whose longest side is under 2 mm is refused, and one whose thinnest side is under 0.6 mm gets a warning