The Original OpenSLS as designed by Andreas Bastian
So this is a project where I jumped in on as opposed to started. To get the skinny on the origins of the project and its birth/conception, I suggest you check out Andreas Bastian's blog.
Design
The basis of the OpenSLS platform was converting a typical CO2 lasercutter into a selective laser sintering 3D printer. The laser and the XY gantry were already in place given the general functionality of a laser cutter. What we needed to do was build a powder handling system. This system would at least need to dispense powder and also contain the excess, but also be adaptable for a static or active plow mechanism.
I jumped in on this project with a few things in mind:
- Changing the design to use new off the shelf hardware, in particular the print pistons
- Experiment with alternatives to powder ducting
- Accommodate new firmware features (thanks Tim!)
More Updates Coming soon! Check back later!