Re: My 3D printer software done - lasers!

Still working on my 3D laserjet printer but was curious about fused
deposition modeling. I see were some of the machines use powdered
plastic with lasers. Is this powder the same material used in powder
coating?

Synrads laser calculator says that you can cut .1" ABS with 40 watts
at 30ipm, .01 at 757ipm. I don't think you would need 40 wattts to
sinter plastic. 20 might do it.

I'll stick with ink but I think it would be possible to build a fused
deposition machine. Media isn't expensive. Diode lasers in this range
are a couple of hundred dollars. Beam stearing may be a problem but
some engravers use galvanic scanning refelectors. These reflectors
show up regularly on Ebay.

Roger