Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) is an additive manufacturing technique for producing finished parts/products of any shape. This technique uses a high-power laser to melt metallic powder, which is fed through a deposition head coaxially to the focus of the laser beam.
This process involves moving the work table in a raster-like manner to create each layer of the object. The head is moved vertically after each layer of material is applied. The metal powders are distributed around the circumference of the head either by gravity or by pressurised carrier gas. The process is similar to SLS technique, but during the LENS process, metal powder is applied in the area where, at any given time, the manufactured part is being melted.
