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 Stereolithography. SLA is not exactly a precise acronym, but it has come to be widely used. It's generally considered the most accurate process, producing models in an increasingly wide selection of plastics.
 Selective Laser Sintering. 3D Systems and EOS are the providers of these laser fused powder methods. The technology produces accurate parts and models in engineering polymers, metals and polymer-coated sand for casting applications. Speed is similar to stereolithography, but material selection is wider.
 Fused Deposition Modeling. This thermoplastic extrusion-based technology is provided by Stratasys. Accuracy and finish are middle of the road and speed is somewhat slow, but the method uses a widening range of durable engineering polymers such as ABS.
 Three Dimensional Printing. Three dimensional printing (3DP) machines made by Z Corp. are used for quick concept modeling. Indeed, this incarnation of the MIT-developed method has the highest throughput of any RP technology. Materials are limited to starches, and plaster, but novel secondary treatments improve durability and can provide flexibility. Finishes are a little on the rough side and accuracy is lower than laser-based technologies, but color is available. Arguably the least expensive way to turn data into a model.
 Jetted Photopolymer. Objet Geometries Ltd. (Israel) was first to market with technology that uses wide area inkjets to deposit layers of photopolymers to form parts. The tradename for Objet's technology is PolyJetTM and 3D Systems offers similar technology in their InVisionTM systems. A second removable support polymer is used for overhangs. The advantages of jetted photopolymer systems compared to stereolithography, which also uses photopolymers, are faster build speed, lower costs in some cases, and complete curing during part fabrication.
 PerfactoryTM Photopolymers exposed a layer at a time by a deformable mirror device. Envisiontec GmbH of Germany developed the technology.
 ModelMaker. This is the inkjet RP method produced by Solidscape. It produces the highest accuracy and resolution of all RP methods, but materials are limited to very few fairly soft thermopolymers and it's quite slow since only one jet is used for each of build and support materials. It's an outstanding choice for small, detailed models and patterns for casting and other secondary processes.
 MultiJet Modeling. This is an earlier inkjet RP method produced by 3D Systems, Inc. It used a wide area head and was most often used for generating quick concept models or casting patterns. The materials available are wax-like plastics and accuracy is lower than that available from stereolithography. While 3D now uses MJM to describe its jetted photopolymer technologies, we retain the original usage because the technology is still fairly widely available.
 Laser Powder Forming. This is a generic term encompassing several technologies in which typically metal or ceramic powder materials are delivered directly into a melt pool created by a laser beam to form parts in layerwise fashion. Laser Engineered Net ShapingTM (LENS ®) technology developed by Sandia is being commercialized by Optomec. The company's trade name for this technology is Directed Metal Deposition SystemsTM (DMDS), which is similar to POM's Direct Metal DepositionTM (DMD) technology. AeroMet offered a variation called Laser Additive ManufacturingTM (LAM), mainly aimed at forming parts from reactive metals such as titanium, but the company has become inactive. [LENS ® and Laser Enginered Net ShapingTM are registered trademarks of Sandia National Labs. and Sandia Corp.]
 Electron Beam Melting. Similar to selective laser sintering, but the laser is replaced with an intense electron beam. The process is currently capable of producing fully-dense parts in several metals and was developed by Arcam AB of Sweden.
 Laminated Object Manufacturing. Helisys, now defunct and succeeded by Cubic Technologies, was the first producer but also several other manufacturers provide this technology, including Kira and Kinergy. The machines can produce large parts quickly and are often used as sand and investment casting patterns. For the most part, materials are limited to paper, but there are companies and universities experimenting with ceramics, metals and plastics. Accuracy is lower than for stereolithography and some other processes.
 Direct Shell Production Casting. Soligen is the exclusive supplier for this specialized version of MIT's three dimensional printing process (3DP). It is used exclusively for investment casting applications.
 Solid Ground Curing. This photopolymer-based technology was provided by Cubital. The company has been dissolved, but the process may still available from a very few organizations. It offers good accuracy coupled with high throughput, but is quite expensive and materials are extremely limited.
Other RP Technologies are indicated by the use of a bold red font if no icon is available. These listings include several proprietary and/or newly-introduced technlogies such as:
- [PLT] Paper Layer Technology from Kira, Japan. Similar to LOM.
- [Stratoconception] Developed by CIRTES, France. A CNC-based LOM method.
- [RapidToolmakerTM] Inkjet-based technology from Sanders Design International. Its heritage is common with Solidscape technology, but the companies feuded over IP issues and as a result SDI no longer sells the equipment. Nevertheless, a handful of SB's still provide the technology.
- [SLM] Selective laser melting (SLM) is similar to selective laser sintering, but is capable of producing fully-dense parts in plastics, metals and ceramics.
- [ConceptLASER M3 Linear] also known as [LaserCusing]
The system is similar to selective laser melting (SLM) and fabricates fully-dense parts from metal powders. Machines also provide laser machining and marking functions in addition to the SLM technology.
You can find out more about these and other technologies in the tutorial, industry and other sections of the site, or by using the site Search function.
 Scanning or Reverse Engineering Services. This icon indicates that a service bureau also provides these services. Capabilities may vary widely from CMM's to high resolution scanning of buildings or structures. The link will take you to our reverse engineering tutorial section for a complete discussion of scanning and digitizing technologies.
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