Direct Laser Sintering of Borosilicate Glass

Despite the advantages that selective laser sintering (SLS) offers in terms of material availability, many materials have yet to be explored for feasibility and even fewer are available on a commercial basis. This paper presents initial investigations for one such material, borosilicate glass, which could be of particular interest to filter manufacturers because it presents an attractive alternative to the conventional, time-consuming way of producing filters of various porosity classes. Process results are presented including a determination of the optimal parameter window and the effect of processing parameters on the density and surface quality. The effects of thermal post-processing and the inclusion of an additive are also discussed.