Open Access
Table 5
Overview of classes of materials, applications, shortcomings, and benefits for various 3D/AM techniques [89].
| Materials | Major applications | Benefits | Drawbacks and shortcoming | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polymer & composites | Aerospace Automotive Sports & recreation Architecture Biomedical & Medical |
Fast and rapid prototyping Fabrication of complex structures Mass customization of printed components Cheaper than conventional methods |
Selection of limited materials Dimensional inaccuracy of finished product Post-processing is needed (heat treatment, chemical etching, and machining of parts |
[87–91,95,100,108–110] |
| Metals and its alloys | Automotive Military Biomedical Aerospace |
Optimization at a multifunctional level Mass customization of printed products Reduction in overall material wastage Few assemblages of unit parts Material repair of worn parts |
Selection of limited materials Dimensional inaccuracy of finished product Post-processing is needed (heat treatment, chemical etching, and machining of unwanted parts |
|
| Ceramics | Biomedical Aerospace Automotive Chemical industries |
Great control of lattice porosities Printing of scaffolds for human organs Decreased time for overall fabrication Control of composition and microstructure |
Constraints based on material selections Poor surface finish Dimensional inaccuracy of finished product Post processing technique, e.g., sintering |
|
| Concrete | Infrastructure Construction |
Mass customization No formwork required Less need for labour especially for space construction and harsh environment |
Layer-by-layer appearance Mechanical properties are anisotropic Inter-layer adhesion is poor Upscaling for big buildings is a constraint Few 3D printing methods available |
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.