Open AccessAn overview of laser-based multiple metallic material additive manufacturing: from macro- to micro-scales
Author(s) -
Chao Wei,
Zhizhou Zhang,
Dongxu Cheng,
Zhe Sun,
Menghui Zhu,
Li Lin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of extreme manufacturing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2631-8644
pISSN - 2631-7990
DOI - 10.1088/2631-7990/abce04
Subject(s) - 3d printing , macro , laser , component (thermodynamics) , process engineering , materials science , mechanical engineering , manufacturing engineering , process (computing) , fabrication , computer science , nanotechnology , engineering , optics , medicine , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , thermodynamics , programming language , operating system
Additive manufacturing (AM) is an emerging customized three-dimensional (3D) functional product fabrication technology. It provides a higher degree of design freedom, reduces manufacturing steps, cost and production cycles. However, existing metallic component 3D printing techniques are mainly for the manufacture of single material components. With the increasing commercial applications of AM technologies, the need for 3D printing of more than one type of dissimilar materials in a single component increases. Therefore, investigations on multi-material AM (MMAM) emerge over the past decade. Lasers are currently widely used for the AM of metallic components where high temperatures are involved. Here we report the progress and trend in laser-based macro- and micro-scale AM of multiple metallic components. The methods covered in this paper include laser powder bed fusion, laser powder directed energy deposition, and laser-induced forward transfer for MMAM applications. The principles and process/material characteristics are described. Potential applications and challenges are discussed. Finally, future research directions and prospects are proposed.