Even though the AM production with metals is considerably more cost-intensive than with polymers, their relevance in industrial use is undisputed. These are the common AM processes for metals.
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)
![Powder Bed Fusion](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Icons_AM-Field_Metalle_Powder-Bed-Fusion.jpg)
Fused with laser = SLM (Selective Laser Melting)
Fused with electron beam = EBM (Electron Beam Melting)
![SLM (Selective Laser Melting)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_SLM.jpg)
SLM (Selective Laser Melting)
Synonyms: Laser-Strahlschmelzen, LaserCUSING, Laser Metal Fusion (LMF), Selektives Laser Schmelzen (SLM), Laserschmel-zen, Direct Metal Printing (DMP), Laser Forming, Laser
By means of a movable laser beam, metal powder is selectively melted locally layer by layer, thus solidifying a cross-section of the component.
![EBM (Electron Beam Melting)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_EBM.jpg)
EBM (Electron Beam Melting)
Synonyms: Elektronenstrahlschmelzen, Selektives Elektronenstrahlschmelzen, CAD to Metal, Selective Electron Beam Melting (SEBM), Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion
By means of a movable electron beam, metal powder is selectively melted locally layer by layer, thus solidifying a cross-section of the component.
Directed Energy Deposition (DED)
![Directed Energy Deposition](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Icons_AM-Field_Metalle_Direct-Energy_Deposition.jpg)
Fused with laser = LENS (Laser Engineering Net Shape)
Cold contact welding = MPA (Metal Powder Application)
Fused with electric arc = WAAM (Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing)
![LENS (Laser Engineering Net Shape)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_LENS.jpg)
LENS (Laser Engineering Net Shape)
Synonyms: Laserauftragschweißen, Direct Metal Deposition (DMP), Laser Metal Forming (LMF), 3D Laser Cladding, Laser Gene-ration, Laser-Based Metal Deposition (LBMD), Laser Free-form Fabrication (LFF), Laser Direct Casting, Laser Cast, Laser Consolidation, LasForm, Laser Metal Deposition (LMD)
Material is applied and melted simultaneously by a laser beam. The following solidification of the melt generates new layers which are arranged above and next to each other.
![MPA (Metal Powder Application)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2021/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_MPA.jpg)
MPA (Metal Powder Application)
Material powder is applied in layers with very high kinetic energy. Components close to the final contour are produced. Material combinations are possible.
![WAAM (Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_WAAM.jpg)
WAAM (Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing)
Synonyms: 3D Auftragsschweißen, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)
Metal wire is melted by arc welding and applied locally in layers to quickly produce large near-net-shape metal structures.
Material Extrusion
![Material Extrusion](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Icons_AM-Field_Metalle_Material_Extrusion.jpg)
Green part is printed to be sintered afterwards = FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
![FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_FDM.jpg)
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
Synonyms: Fused Layer Modeling (FLM), Fused Layer Manufacturing (FLM), Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Schmelzschichtver-fahren, Strangablageverfahren, Bound Powder Extrusion (BPE), Bound Powder Deposition, Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM), Filament Metal Printing (FMP), Metal Fused Deposition Modeling (MFDM)
Wire-shaped metal-containing plastic, so-called filament, is plasticized in a nozzle unit and selectively dosed locally layer by layer.
Binder Jetting
![Binder Jetting](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Icons_AM-Field_Metalle_Binder_Jetting.jpg)
Joined with bonding agent to be sintered afterwards = BJ (Binder Jetting)
![BJ (Binder Jetting)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_BJ.jpg)
BJ (Binder Jetting)
Synonyms: 3D Drucken, 3D Printing, Three Dimensional Printing (3DP), Inkjet 3D Printing, 3D-Pulverdruck, Single Pass Jetting (SPJ), Freistrahl-Bindemittelauftrag
Tiny binder droplets are selectively applied locally through many nozzles and in layers onto metal powder. They stick the powder material together.
Material Jetting
![Material Jetting](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Icons_AM-Field_Metalle_Material_Jetting.jpg)
Cured with heat to be sintered afterwards = NPJ (Nano Particle Jetting)
![NPJ (Nano Particle Jetting)](/content/dam/messefrankfurt-mesago/formnext/2020/images/1900x1069/am_field_guide/FON_Illu_AM-Field_Metalle_NPJ.jpg)
NPJ (Nano Particle Jetting)
A metal particle solvent fluid is selectively dosed locally by a nozzle unit. The solvent evaporates and the nanoparticles bond together.