FAQ: Can powder-based Selective Laser Sintering processes be used to build large parts?

There’s a class of parts Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is very appropriate for. For large builds, it can be a challenge because of powder-bed capacity. You will need more powder than the part you will build will use. Then there is the issue of waste. A good portion of the powder may be wasted to build one large object. It would depend on whether subsequent builds can work with powder exposed to the temperatures of the initial build.

Depending on the application, an option might be blown powder, which is powder deposited with an energy source. Optomec is one of the developers of such a system.