RAPID MANUFACTURE OF PA12/HDPE PARTS WITH FUNCTIONALLY GRADED COMPOSITION USING SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING Gean V. Salmoria 1 , Janaina L. Leite 1 , Rodrigo A. Paggi 1 , Alexandre Lago 1 1 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), CIMJECT – Dep. Eng. Mecânica, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil, janalisi@cimject.ufsc.br , gsalmoria@cimject.ufsc.br 1* , rodrigo@cimject.ufsc.br , lago@cimject.ufsc.br ; Abstract: Functionally graded materials (FGM) is a new concept in material design characterized by variations of composition and morphology gearing variations in thermal, electric, optic and mechanical properties This study evaluates the microstructural and mechanical properties of parts with functionally graded composition of PA12/HDPE blends manufactured by selective laser sintering (SLS). Sintered blend specimens were characterize by scanning electronic microscopy and flexural tests (DMA analyzer). The PA12/HDPE parts with functionally graded composition in the Y and Z direction were built by SLS. The PA12/HDPE parts with functionally graded composition showed controlled microstructures depending on the process parameters and blend compositions, what permitted the manufacturing of parts with graded mechanical properties along it. Introduction A new generation of composite materials characterized by a continuously properties variation due to a permanent change in the microstructure according the compositional variation can be called functionally graded materials (FGMs) [1]. There numerous and different application areas for FGMs, such as electric, mechanics, aerospace, automobile, medical, and others [2]. FGMs can be used to improve fracture toughness of machine tools, as thermal or flow gradient structures, or to provide wear and corrosion resistance of high temperature aerospace, automotive or chemical industry components, etc .The gradient can be formed to satisfy specific requirements or functions in the use of a component [2, 3]. The FGM performance depends mainly on the composition distribution. The composition distribution in FGMs can be tailored to specific requirements and properties of the constituent materials [4]. The ability to the rapid manufacturing of components with functionality has been reached by the recent advances in additive manufacturing techniques such as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) [1, 5]. Selective laser sintering is a process in which powder particles are fused or sintering together layer-by-layer by heat supplied by a infrared laser, until the part or prototype is complete [6, 7]. The use of the SLS to prepare functionally graded components shows advantages such as the located control of the composition and process parameters and the possibility of free forms construction [8]. Polymeric blends with different composition are an interesting alternative to obtain