As soon as SFF technology development began to make Rapid Prototyping possible the
interest in Rapid Manufacturing (RM) began to grow. The advantages in terms of
functional integration, elimination of tooling and fixtures and mass customization make a
compelling case for RM, leading some in the field to call it the next industrial revolution.
Yet without the materials properties necessary to provide the function and variety
currently available from mass production methods, the application of RM will remain
limited. Developing new materials for the SLS process, one immediate step toward a
larger portfolio of RM materials, is very challenging. The formation of high quality SLS
parts relies on appropriate powder characteristics, thermal cycles and sintering behavior.
Based on a brief examination of the key factors in SLS processing and a research project
to develop a new binder material for Silicon Carbide composites, a systematic materials
development method is proposed in this paper. The method provides guidance for
introducing new SLS materials, support for educating new SLS users and researchers and
direction for several future research projects.Mechanical Engineerin
