SLS Printing
SLS 3D Printing
Selective laser sintering in Formlabs Nylon 12, depowdered and polished.
WashU users print at cost.
Everyone else prints at a fair price, and the proceeds support neurotechnology research at Washington University.
We sell and ship within the United States only.
What we print
Selective laser sintering on a Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W, in Nylon 12. Every build is depowdered and finished on the Fuse Blast with the polishing module at standard polishing parameters, for a smooth, semi-gloss finish. Formlabs documents the finish (and offers free sample parts) on the polishing system page. A little loose powder can remain in narrow channels and cavities; we do not guarantee complete powder removal from features our tools cannot reach.
Material Nylon 12 (PA 12): strong, slightly flexible, dimensionally stable. Good for functional parts, fixtures, and complex geometries.
How ordering works
- Upload your models. One part per file, and as many STL files as your order needs. STL is the format we accept today; OBJ and 3MF are on the roadmap. Each model must fit the build envelope and follow a few SLS rules, in the design guidelines.
- Automated checks run. They protect the equipment and catch problems before printing: file readability, mesh integrity, fit against the build envelope, and per-part volume. They do not judge whether a part is right for its purpose. We may also decline an order before printing starts; declined orders are refunded in full.
- You receive a quote. Priced from each part's volume, with shipping included for external orders. You can adjust the number of copies of each part and re-quote before you commit.
- You confirm. Review the quote and accept the print-service policies; external orders also accept the Washington University Terms and Conditions.
- You pay or authorize payment. WashU orders authorize a recharge to a funding number (a cost center or grant); nothing is due at checkout and it posts in Workday later. Everyone else pays by card at submission. *
- We print and post-process. Selective laser sintering, then depowdering and polishing.
- Campus delivery or U.S. shipping. WashU orders go out by the university courier to the campus address on the order; external orders are packed and shipped within the United States. Orders are typically packed and shipped, or out for campus delivery, within 2 to 3 business days.
* Existing WashU vendors should email the Studio to make special arrangements before ordering through the site.
You get what you design
The automated checks identify problems that would damage the print or the machine. They do not evaluate whether a part is right for its purpose.
We keep this service lean on purpose: it exists so idle equipment can help sustain the lab's research, teaching, and clinical work, which means we keep hands-on support for public jobs to a minimum. That makes the Studio a poor fit for some projects. For the ones it fits, it's a genuinely good print at a price that's hard to beat.
For members of the Division of Neurotechnology, the Studio also provides consultation and design services. Division members can find out more.
Pricing
External orders are priced at $0.60 per cm³ of material (2 cm³ minimum per part), plus a $25 setup fee and shipping. WashU work is billed at cost to your funding number. The exact price for your parts appears when you upload them.
For external customers Our external rates run roughly 10 to 20% below commercial bureaus. Your budget does double duty: the work helps sustain neurotechnology research in the Department of Neurosurgery.
Service policies
Reprints are free for machine or process faults; design-related failures are billable. You can cancel free before printing starts. See print-service policies for storage limits, quote validity, and the rest.