ZONGHENG3D SLS1518 Shrinks Industrial SLS Printing to Desktop Size

Selective laser sintering has always been the industrial cousin of desktop 3D printing. The machines are big, expensive, and require trained operators. ZONGHENG3D is trying to change that with the SLS1518, a powder-bed fusion system small enough to sit beside your monitor.

The Core Promise

The SLS1518 has a 160x160x200mm build volume, uses a 10W 450nm diode laser with an industrial galvanometer, and prints with nylon powder instead of filament. Because the unsintered powder supports every layer, there are no support structures to remove. Overhangs, interlocking parts, and complex geometry come off the bed ready to use.

ZONGHENG3D has spent eight years building industrial SLS machines and claims more than 1,300 units deployed to universities and businesses. The SLS1518 compresses that engineering into a 600x622x884mm enclosure weighing roughly 100kg. For context, that is about the size of a mini fridge.

Post-Processing Included

Every pledge includes the HCL1518, an enclosed post-processing station that sieves, cleans, and recycles unused powder. ZONGHENG3D says it recycles 100% of unused material and cuts cleanup time by roughly 90% compared with manual handling. The system includes VoxelDance SLS Industrial Edition slicing software, which the company values at $10,000, at no extra cost.

Certifications and Specs

The printer is CE, FCC, and FDA certified with a Class 1 laser rating. Layer thickness runs 100 to 150 microns, defaulting to 110 microns. A full build can print in under 8 hours, according to the company, with a separate cooldown of up to 8 hours for a full cylinder. Dimensional accuracy is rated at plus or minus 0.2mm.

The Crowdfunding Reality Check

The Kickstarter campaign closed at $250,397 from 40 backers, more than five and a half times its $44,602 goal. However, this is ZONGHENG3D's first crowdfunding campaign, and the original March 2026 delivery estimate has already passed without a published update. The company's own risk disclosure mentions possible delays from raw material supply and mid-production adjustments.

The current price is $8,388 for the Early Bird bundle, which includes the printer, post-processing station, and 3kg of PA12 powder. That is 40% off the planned $13,980 MSRP, but it is still a serious commitment for a machine still being proven in production.

Who Should Care

The SLS1518 targets small manufacturing teams, engineers, and universities that need functional nylon parts without renting time on an industrial machine. Hobbyists who print occasionally should look elsewhere. The footprint, the price, and the learning curve all assume you have a real reason to need support-free, isotropic nylon parts.

If the company hits its delivery milestones, desktop SLS printing will no longer be an oxymoron. The question is whether the current batch of backers will see their machines before the next funding round.