{"id":109151,"date":"2026-08-16T13:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T17:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pappp.net\/?guid=abb0dc2e26f381bed431334e912382ce"},"modified":"2026-08-16T13:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T17:00:06","slug":"laser-layers-for-almost-isotropicly-strong-prints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pappp.net\/?p=109151","title":{"rendered":"Laser Layers for (Almost) Isotropicly Strong Prints"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: Hack a Day<\/a><\/p>\n

Article note: I watched this video a couple days ago, it's a super cool idea. \nVery localized and controlled heating to ensure new extrusion bonds to existing material without sloshing, by strapping some diode lasers to the side of the printhead. \nGetting the basics working is straightforward by modern desktop manufacturing standards, though I suspect it'd be fussy to properly automate across filaments (due to differing absorption, same reason laser marking and cutting on 3d printed parts is tricky).\nLooks like they're experiment with using it for surface finishes too, \"Adding controlled, localized energy to a print\" has a lot of potential in multiple directions.<\/div>
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If there’s one defining factor about 3D printing you have to account for when you’re making a design, it’s probably layer adhesion. Sure, there are a lot<\/em> of factors to consider, but having the z-axis of your part dramatically weaker than x- and y- is a pretty big deal in a whole lot of applications. [I Changed a thing] changed a thing to fix that — namely, he changed his 3D printer by strapping a couple of lasers to it. That’s the kind of hack we like to see!<\/p>\n

What the lasers are doing is a very simple idea: they’re pre-melting the last-laid-down-layer just under the nozzle so that molten plastic is meeting molten plastic to create a much stronger joint than you get when you extrude onto an already-cold layer. The second layer keeps the hotspot warmer longer, which also helps the bond. The resulting parts are not purely isotropic, but he’s getting breaking strain along the z-axis of ABS that’s up to 94% of what he’s measuring in the x direction, while PLA still rates at 77.9%. That’s compared to 60% and 41%, for un-lasered samples, respectively. If you watch the video, you’ll get all the details for the printing process and can see more test data.<\/p>\n

These lasers look like a game-changer, but their mass might slow down the fast coreXY printers that are so popular these days. If you don’t want to slow down, remember that changing your layer patterns<\/a> can boost a print’s strength on its own.<\/p>\n

Thanks to [Josh Pensel] for the tip!<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

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If there\u2019s one defining factor about 3D printing you have to account for when you\u2019re mak…<\/p>\n

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