ISO/ASTM terminology defines additive manufacturing as creating three-dimensional geometry through successive addition of material. The process family influences available materials, support strategy, surface, properties, cost and post-processing.
Material extrusion
A nozzle deposits softened material along a programmed path. FDM and FFF are familiar examples. The process is accessible and versatile, but orientation, layers and support structures influence appearance and performance.
Vat photopolymerization
Light selectively cures liquid photopolymer in a vat. SLA, DLP and masked stereolithography are variants. These processes can provide fine detail and smooth surfaces, followed by washing and curing.
Powder bed fusion
Thermal energy selectively fuses regions of a powder bed. Polymer SLS and metal laser powder-bed processes sit in this family, but their equipment, materials, safety and downstream workflows differ significantly.
Material jetting and binder jetting
Material jetting deposits build material in droplets, while binder jetting deposits a bonding agent onto powder. Each can support distinct colour, material or production strategies and usually requires process-specific post-processing.
Directed energy deposition
Focused energy melts material as it is deposited. DED is commonly associated with metal deposition, repair, feature addition and larger-scale applications rather than typical desktop printing.
Sheet lamination and other approaches
Sheet lamination bonds sheets to form a part. Additive construction and emerging processes extend the landscape further, but should be evaluated through their own standards and qualification needs.
Selecting a process
Choose using the part’s material, geometry, scale, quantity, surface, mechanical requirements, certification needs and economics. Similar-looking parts produced by different processes should not be assumed to perform identically.
Further reading
Technical limits depend on the selected process, machine and material. These manufacturer resources provide additional process-specific context:
Let’s review the actual part.
General guidance is useful, but geometry and intended use determine what is practical for a specific request.
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