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Production Methods: What's the Difference Between Selective Laser Sintering, Direct Metal Laser Sintering, Laser Melting and LaserCusing?
I know this is a somewhat older post but I actually used this a lot to help explain the differences to people. So, thanks!
I do not fully agree with this, but I think I understand your point.
In many papers on SLM, metals such as Ti6Al4V Titanium alloy or 316L stainless steel are used and both of them are in fact alloys in their powder form, eg. they are either soluble, form an intermetallic phase etc. Even when selective laser melting aluminum, it is often alloyed with silicium in order to improve its flowability and mechanical properties. However, for SLS or DMLS, it is possible to diffuse two different materials which are initially not alloyed, but mixed in a heterogeneous form. So I do not think you can make such a distinction between the two manufacturing methods.
Are you sure about Carl Deckard's invention (SLS)? If you look at his patent claims (https://www.google.com/patents/US5155324), you don't find "melting" or "melt" anywhere but it's "sintering" all the time.