Parts with complex geometry, run sizes up to 10,000 units per year or urgent lead time are a fit. Typical: brackets, enclosures, cable management, ducting, jigs and fixtures, medical devices, machine-build parts and replacement parts for legacy machines. Parts with walls under 0.8 mm, extreme surface requirements or larger than 500 mm need a different route.
Five applications where SLS wins
Structural brackets in Carbon LW or PA802CF. Replaces machined aluminium, saves setup and weight.
Enclosures and covers in PA12 or PA 950 HD. Industrial electronics, machine panels, cabinet openings.
Complex manifolds and ducting. Integral channels that CNC cannot machine.
Snap-fits and hinges in PA11. 31% elongation at break handles thousands of cycles.
Food-safe or medical parts in PA12 Blue MD. FDA + EC1935/2004 certified.
Which design features SLS unlocks
Integrating multiple parts into a single print. Where you used to have a three-piece assembly (housing + cable hook + flange), SLS prints it as one. Saves assembly, tolerance stack-up and stock items.
Topology-optimised structures come in 40-60% lighter than a solid equivalent, with the same load capacity. Internal lattices and cavities for light-and-stiff. Ask for a DfAM check if you want to see which existing assemblies qualify.
When SLS does not fit
Parts that must be polycarbonate, production-grade ABS or PP: SLS does not cover those polymers. Parts with walls below 0.8 mm: practical lower bound. Direct high-gloss without polishing: SLS delivers a lightly grainy surface (Ra 10-15 µm), post-polish can solve it.
Tolerances tighter than ±0.1 mm on critical dimensions: CNC finishing on those zones covers it.