Get Complex Metal Parts Fast
with Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

Design Freedom // Subtractive manufacturing techniques place limits on what you can create. direct metal printing enables you to produce part designs that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing techniques, such as:

• Internal supports
• Weight-saving lattice wall sections
• Conformal cooling channels
• Undercuts
• Draft angles
• Internal cavities
• Varying wall thicknesses

Part Consolidation // Thanks to the design freedom that DMLS enables, you can consolidate assemblies into a single, printable part that is lighter, less expensive and more reliable.

Fast Prototyping // DMLS empowers you to iterate your prototype part designs quickly – without the need for costly tooling. You can also use it to print multiple variations of a part at the same time to determine which one offers the best functional design.

Production Parts // Need bridge production? You can use Fathom’s DMLS services to produce several hundred production-quality parts quickly so you can keep your production line running while you wait for tooling.

Complex Geometries // DMLS can print complex part designs that aren’t possible to fabricate using traditional methods. Engineers are also free to design complex parts without the need for support structures.

Excellent Mechanical Properties // The sintering process used with direct metal printing produces parts that are strong and durable. They exhibit high tensile strength, hardness and wear resistance, making them suitable for demanding applications in the automotive, aerospace and medical industries.

Mass Customization // No fixtures or tooling are required to produce DMLS parts. That makes it easy for engineers to modify or fine-tune part designs during production. It also enables designers to create multiple variations of parts as needed.

Metal Characteristics are Preserved // The sintering process used to transform metal powder into parts bonds them without melting the metal. That means its mechanical properties remain intact after the part is produced.

Small Build Volume // As a platform for additive manufacturing, the build volume of DMLS is on the smaller side. It’s best for producing small parts.

Post Processing // Depending upon the part and its application, DMLS parts may be post-processed using heat treatment, surface finishing and machining.

Expertise // As a technology, direct metal printing is a complex additive manufacturing process that requires expertise to consistently produce high-quality parts, and a detailed DFM/DFAM analysis is critical to success. However, Fathom is one of the largest and most experienced sources in North America for DMLS services and can be trusted with your critical production!

DMLS parts are dense and have similar mechanical properties to cast parts. Where tight tolerances are required, DMLS parts can be 3D printed at a near-net shape and then machined to meet them.

Once a part has been produced using direct metal printing, it can be improved using processes that are common to finishing metal parts, including media blasting, metal plating, micromachining and polishing. Holes or threads may be added to parts using CNC machining.

Titanium is notoriously hard to machine. For aerospace applications, where light weight and strength are a must, DMLS can be used to produce strong, lightweight parts using this exotic material.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering can be used to build complex part designs that aren’t possible using traditional manufacturing methods such as CNC machining and metal casting.

DMLS also enables fast, low-cost production of prototype and production parts – without tooling.

In addition, direct metal printing enables designers to combine multiple machined or cast parts into a single component that is stronger and lighter than the assembly it replaced.

Finally, DMLS can replace casting or machining of low-volume replacement parts, which usually require costly set-up time, fixtures and labor. Instead, you can use Fathom’s DMLS services to print them on-demand as needed, reducing or eliminating the need to maintain an inventory of service parts.