Additive manufacturing (AM), more popularly known as 3D printing, comprises a group of technologies used to produce objects through the addition (rather than removal) of material. AM is used in many industries—aerospace and defense, automotive, consumer products, industrial products, medical devices, and architecture. AM is transforming the industry, and this industrial transformation is expected to become more comprehensive and reach a higher pace during the coming years.
Additive manufacturing of metal components with virtually no geometric limitations has enabled new product design options and opportunities, increased product performance, shorter cycle time in part production, total cost reduction, shortened lead time, improved material efficiency, more sustainable products and processes, full circularity in the economy, and new revenue streams.
This Special Issue of Metals focuses on metal additive manufacturing with respect to the topics mentioned below (please see the Keywords/Topics below). The papers presented in this Special Issue give an account of the 2020 scientific, technological, and industrial state of the art for metal additive manufacturing from different perspectives (see the Keywords/Topics below). Your contribution to this 2020 account is highly valuable and appreciated.
The submitted contribution should address metal additive manufacturing with respect to one or several of the following topics:
- Business models and engineering
- Product/component design (including generative design, topology optimization, lattice and surface optimization, etc.)
- Industrial applications (aerospace, defense, automotive, consumer, medical, and industrial products, etc.)
- Material and process design and engineering
- New materials
- Powder production and characterization
- Systems and equipment engineering
- Post-processing
- Process control and optimization and quality assurance
MDPI, 2021.