Additive Manufacturing with polymers represents the majority of the additively produced components. Here you will find an overview of the most important processes.
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)
Fused with agent + energy = MJF (Multi Jet Fusion)
Fused with laser = SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)
MJF (Multi Jet Fusion)
Tiny liquid droplets are applied locally to a layer of polymer powder. They increase or suppress the heat absorption of the powder. An integrally acting infrared source melts the material respectively.
SLS (Selective Laser Sintering)
By means of a movable laser beam, a polymer powder is selectively sintered locally layer by layer and thus solidifies a cross-section of the component.
Material Extrusion
Material extrusion Filament = FDM (Fused Deposition)
Material extrusion Granulate = APF (Arburg Plastic Freeforming)
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
Wire-shaped plastic, so-called filament, is plasticized in a nozzle unit and selectively dosed locally layer by layer.
APF (Arburg Plastic Freeforming)
Plastic granulate is plasticized in a nozzle unit and selectively dosed locally layer by layer.
Material Jetting
Cured with UV light = MJ (Material Jetting)
MJ (Material Jetting)
Small droplets of photopolymer are applied locally and layer by layer through many nozzles. The viscous photopolymer is then cured instantly by UV-light.
Photopolymerization
Cured with laser = SLA (Stereolithography)
Cured with projector = DLP (Direct Light Processing)
SLA (Stereolithography)
By means of a movable laser beam, a viscous photopolymer is selectively cured locally in layers and solidifies there.
DLP (Direct Light Processing)
A photopolymer is exposed layer by layer using a projector. The exposed material is polymerized locally and solidifies.
