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Aerospace & Defense 3D Printing Services 19 Nov 2025

DMLS Printing

Written by

updates@lform.com

How Does DMLS Work?

01 Part Design & File Preparation

The part is first designed on a CAD system, which specifies its dimensions and features in 3D space. Support structures may be added to the part to prevent warping, sagging or breakage during the build process. Features that may need support include overhangs, ridges and surfaces with steep inclines or complex curves. The design is then “sliced” into thin layers using special software to prepare it for 3D printing.

Engineer/ Technician Working on a Personal Computer with Two Dis
02 Production

A thin layer of metal powder is spread across the floor of the build chamber. A high-powered laser selectively scans the cross-section of the first layer, melting the powder particles to match the part design. After it completes the first layer, the build table moves down the thickness of one layer. A new layer of powder is spread across the build table and the process repeats until the part is built.

hartland-dmls-spark
03 Post Processing

DMLS produces high-quality metal parts that don’t require sintering and have the mechanical characteristics of cast metal parts. After a DMLS part cools, support structures and the build plate are removed from it. The part may then undergo heat treating to relieve internal stresses, media blasting to provide a smoother surface and post-machining to achieve specific tolerances.

The aluminum gear case parts tapping process on CNC milling machine with tapping holder in the light blue scene.

DMLS Advantages & Limitations

Advantages

  • 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 DMLS 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.

Disadvantages

  • 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!

Applications of DMLS

  • Functional Prototypes
    Produce and iterate prototype part designs quickly – without the expense of tooling.
  • Jigs and Fixtures
    The exceptional toughness of DMLS parts makes them ideal for jigs and fixtures for CNC machining, part inspections and more.
  • Flow Applications
     Certain part designs require channels for fluid or air to pass through. This includes conformal cooling channels, which run just below the surface of the part. They can’t be machined into parts but are easy to create using 3D printing with direct metal printing.
  • Fast Metal Tooling for Injection Molding
    DMLS can be used to build short production-run tooling for injection molding.
  • Industries where direct metal printed parts are used include:
    • Aerospace
    • Medical
    • Dental
    • Automotive

Case Studies Block

What Can DMLS be Paired With?

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.

Traditional Technologies That Can Benefit from DMLS

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.

Why Choose Fathom for DMLS Metal 3D Printing?

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