What process involves heating powder with a laser to create a design?

Selective laser sintering is the correct answer because it is a widely used additive manufacturing process that involves the use of a laser to sinter powdered material, which binds the material together to create a solid structure. In this process, a laser selectively melts or fuses the powdered material to form a desired shape layer by layer. This technique allows for intricate and detailed designs to be produced with high precision and minimal waste of material.

In contrast, the other methods mentioned involve different approaches to additive manufacturing. Electron beam melting utilizes an electron beam in a vacuum to melt the powder, which distinctly differs from the laser method utilized in selective laser sintering. Stereolithography employs a process of polymerization to cure liquid resin using ultra-violet light rather than heating powder. Fused deposition modeling works by extruding melted thermoplastic filament layer by layer, rather than using a laser to heat powder. Understanding these differences highlights why selective laser sintering is specifically associated with using a laser to create designs from powder.