SLS 3D Printing
SLS nylon 3D printing for functional end-use parts: Nylon 11, Nylon 12 and glass-filled Nylon 12, build envelope 700 x 380 x 580 mm, ~6 business day lead time, batch-nested for low per-part cost.
Last updated: 2026-10-26
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) fuses polymer powder layer by layer with a laser. The unsintered powder supports the part during the build, which means no support structures, no support-removal scars, and the freedom to nest many parts in one build — the properties that make SLS the default 3D printing process for functional nylon parts and batch production of end-use components.
The catalog covers Nylon 11, Nylon 12 and Nylon 12 Glass-Filled, a 700 x 380 x 580 mm build envelope, an about-6-business-days lead time, and post-processes including powder coating, polishing, sand blasting, tumbling, painting and machining. Glass-filled nylon moves the material toward stiffness and dimensional stability for structural brackets and housings; unfilled nylons carry the toughness and chemical resistance the material family is known for.
Specifications
| Specification | SLS 3D Printing |
|---|---|
| Max Part Size | 700 x 380 x 580 mm |
| Lead Time | About 6 business days |
| Price From | $$ |
Materials
Surface Finishes
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing service offering nylon materials such as Nylon 11, Nylon 12, and Nylon 12 Glass-Filled for end-use parts and functional testing.
Values above are the collected catalog specification envelope for this product family. Tolerances and lead times at the demanding end of a range are confirmed for the specific geometry, material and batch at quotation.
Applications & Selection Points
Functional end-use parts
Housings, ducts, brackets, cable guides and enclosures that must work — not just look right — are the SLS core. Nylon's toughness and fatigue behavior suit snap-fits, living hinges and parts that see assembly and disassembly, where brittle photopolymers fail.
Batch production without tooling
Because parts nest in the powder cake, per-part cost drops with batch density rather than with tooling amortization. Production runs of tens to hundreds of end-use parts print economically when geometry fills the build well — the design lever is nesting efficiency, not draft angles.
Complex internal geometry
Channels, internal ribs, thin wound geometry and lattice-style structures print without the tool-reach constraint that shapes machined parts. Cooling ducts and airflow manifolds with curved internal passages are the canonical example — unmanufacturable by milling, routine in SLS.
Moisture and tolerance planning
Nylon absorbs moisture, which changes dimensions and can affect tolerance-critical assemblies. Parts destined for tight assembly fits should be planned with the material's conditioning behavior in mind and dried/conditioned consistently before final assembly — state the service environment in the RFQ.
Powder removal and hollow geometry
Every SLS part is excavated from its powder cake, and trapped powder is the design detail to plan for: enclosed cavities need escape holes sized and placed so the powder can be emptied completely. Hollowing large solid parts saves material and reduces build cost, and the savings are real at quantity — but only when the hollow drains and cleans. Add drain holes with the same intent as draft on a molded part: they are part of making the process economical, not blemishes on the design.
Frequently Asked Questions
SLS vs SLA vs FDM for functional parts?
SLS prints isotropic-tough nylon with no support scars — the strongest default for functional and end-use parts. SLA gives finer surfaces but photopolymer brittleness limits load-bearing use. FDM is the cheapest for large rough parts but carries layer weakness and the least consistent accuracy. When the part must survive service, SLS nylon is the usual answer among the three.
Nylon 11 vs Nylon 12 vs glass-filled — how do I choose?
Nylon 12 is the general-purpose balance of strength, flexibility and stability. Nylon 11 trades a little stiffness for higher impact resistance and better low-temperature behavior. Glass-filled Nylon 12 raises stiffness and dimensional stability for brackets and structural housings, at the cost of surface finish and some toughness. Choose by load type: impact → 11, general → 12, stiffness-critical → glass-filled.
What does an SLS quote need?
STEP or STL model, material choice, quantity, critical dimensions flagged, finishing callout, and delivery country. For batches, part orientation/nesting freedom matters to price — say which surfaces are critical so nesting does not fight them.
Ordering & Documentation
Documents
3D model plus critical-surface notes. For assembly-critical features, a 2D callout of fit tolerances lets the build orientation be planned around them. Finishing selection (as-sintered, blasted, dyed, coated) belongs on the order, not discovered after.
Quotation
Pricing inputs: material, total build volume the order consumes, quantity, finish, and destination. The ~6 business day lead time applies to standard builds; large fills of the 700 x 380 x 580 mm envelope batch efficiently and price accordingly.
Sample & Supply
First articles validate fit and function before batch release — for end-use parts, test the printed material in the real service condition (temperature, chemical exposure, moisture) before committing the batch.
Storage & Shipping
SLS parts ship clean and free of loose powder. In storage and service, nylon conditions with ambient humidity — parts for tight assemblies should be stored consistently (sealed and dry, or conditioned) so assembly dimensions stay predictable.