Sand Made SLS 3D Printer Prints with Multiple Materials – Coming This Summer for $28,000

When we typically think of selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printers, we usually envision machines which cost anywhere from $100,000 up to $1 million. They are the machines reserved for large corporations as well print services such as Shapeways and Sculpteo. However, over the past year or so, we have begun to see several new SLS 3D printers come to market at prices well under the $100K price tag we’re all used to.

One of the latest is a printer from a Polish company called Sand Made. Debuting at TEDx Krakow on June 13, 2015 will be their creation — a relatively small SLS 3D printer that will be priced at around $28,000.

“Our main goal is to provide the best quality prints for the industry,” Jakub Graczyk, CEO and Co-founder of Sand Made told 3DPrint.com. “That’s why we use a high powered CO2 laser combined with a very good industrial quality scanning head.”

The printer features a 150 x 150 x 150 mm build volume which typically would be considered a bit on the small side. However, Graczyk tells us that Sand Made is specifically targeting the foundry and metal casting markets with this machine. The printer has the ability to print in a multitude of different materials, including foundry sand, polystyrene, wax (for metal casting), a Nylon 12/Styrene mix, and pure Nylon 12 — coming at the end of the year. Like most other SLS based 3D printers, these materials are all completely reusable, meaning there is virtually no material wasted in the print process.

The Sand Made SLS 3D printer will be fully unveiled this June, and become available for purchase shortly thereafter. Graczyk tells us that the plan is to release it sometime in the third quarter of this year.

More specifications for this new 3D printer can be found below:

• Laser: CO2 40 Watt
• Scanner: High Speed Galvanometer, scanning speed up to 3000mm/sec
• Layer thickness: 0.06-0.35 depending on material and print speed
• Build speed: up to 13mm /per hour
• Build Volume: 150 x 150 x 150 mm
• File format accepted: STL

Sand Made will also be presenting their work at the Małopolski Festiwal (Festival) Innowacji later this month. They invite attendees to visit their booth to see some of the intricate objects that have been printed on their machine.

“We have created a team that compliments each other on the way to [our] goal which is to build a high-quality printer using Laser Sintering,” says Graczyk. “Our mission is to provide to the market an affordable device in the same class as expensive CNC machines. The printer we build will change the future of small and medium industries and design studios.”

At a price of just $28,000, this printer should become feasible for many small businesses which have been spending thousands of dollars to outsource their work. This will open the door for local foundries as well as jewelry makers and other businesses looking for a great way to prototype small products. It should be interesting to learn more about this machine at the TEDx event in June.

What do you think about the potential that this $28,000 SLS 3D printer has? Discuss in the Sand Made SLS forum thread on 3DPB.com.  Check out more photos below