Measurement of the Sintering Dynamics of polymeric powders at Near SLS Conditions

The sintering dynamics of materials used in the Selective Laser Sintering process impact greatly the thermal conditions of the powder bed. An experimental setup was developed to obtain sintering rate information at conditions very near to those of the SLS process. The system consists of a powder sample heated by a CO2 laser while maintained at constant thermal boundary conditions. The powder height is measured by means of an optical sensor, which avoids stress on the powder and allows fast data. acquisition. This paper discusses experiments conducted with this apparatus and further compares the obtained results with theoretical models and the previous work of others.