This takes place within hours. On completion of the part, it is removed from the cylinder of loose powder. Light sanding may be necessary, and the part can be painted or used in a secondary tooling process. In 1993 the University of Louisville became the first U.S. University to buy and operate the Selective Laser Sintering equipment. It has since been assisting industrial users and engineering programs with this facility.
Users gain access to problem solving technology as well as to continuing research.
Getting a quality product quickly is critical and correcting design flaws early is essential. Users have found that the University of Louisville's Rapid Prototyping Facility saves time, money and long delays in product development. The results of this facility are tough, flexible and testable parts for prototypes.