Laser 3D printer

A laser 3D printer comprising:

• a vertical tubular compartment (8), which extends downwards starting from a plane (P);
• a lifting platform (12) engaged in a sliding manner in the tubular compartment (8);
• a feeding unit (19) mounted above the plane (P) for feeding a powdered material (3) onto the lifting platform (12);
• a laser printing head (4) for sintering the powdered material (3) laid on the lifting platform (12);
• wherein the feeding unit (19) comprises:
• a dispenser (23) for feeding a given amount of powdered material (3) onto the lifting platform (12);
• and
• a distributor (30) for distributing the powdered material (3) over the lifting platform (12) itself, the distributor (30) having the shape of a hopper converging towards the plane (P), and being configured for directly receiving the powdered material (3) from the dispenser (23) which is located above the distributor (30), the distributor (30) being located above the lifting platform (12) so that the powered material (3) is distributed directly from the distributor (30) onto the lifting platform (12);
• and
• a driving device (35) for displacing the distributor (30) above the tubular compartment (8) in the plane (P) with a reciprocating rectilinear motion comprising a forward stroke, in which the distributor (30) distributes the powdered material (3) onto the lifting platform (12), and a return stroke;
• wherein the distributor (30) has the shape of a hopper converging towards the plane (P);
• wherein the distributor (30) is connected to the driving device (35) for being displaced, with respect to the driving device (35), between a lowered, operating, position and a raised, resting, position relative to the lifting platform (12), wherein during the forward stroke, the distributor (30) is in the lowered, operating position and during the return stroke, the distributor (30) is in the raised, resting position.