A Study on the Status of Metal 3D Printing and Design Methods of Printing Materials

Abstract

3D printing technology, which is capable of manufacturing complicated shapes much easier than conventional molding processes, such as casting/ forging, extrusion, injection, welding, and etc., as well as reducing manufacturing time and making various kinds of small quantity products end users want, is rapidly emerging as an innovative technology that can change the existing manufacturing industry paradigm. In particular, metal 3D printing technology has large industrial ripple effects because it can be applied to a wide range of industrial fields from existing main industries such as automobiles, space / aviation, and marine vessels to advanced industries such as defense, bio / medical, and electromagnetic fields, resulting in a growing interest in metal 3D printing in the corresponding industry sectors. However, the research on metal 3D printing technology worldwide is only at a beginning stage. In this study, the present status and problems of the development of the powder materials for metal 3D printing and the design methods of future materials for metal 3D printing shall be discussed.