A Brief History of the Progress of Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Metals in Europe

Abstract

The progress of additive manufacturing (AM) within the last few decades has been phenomenal, progressing from a polymeric technique to a method for manufacturing metallic aerospace components. We take a look at various technological advances which have helped paved the way for this growth, focussing on European input, as currently, 54% of AM machines are sold by European manufacturers (Wohlers, Campbell, Diegel, Kowen, Mostow, and Fidan, 2022, “Wohlers Report 2022: 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Global State of the Industry,” Wohlers Associates, ASTM International, Fort Collins, Colo., Washington, DC). We take deep dives into several critical topics including sensing and monitoring, preheating, and multi-laser technology and illustrate how these develop from research ideas into industrial products. Finally, an outlook is provided, highlighting the topics currently gaining research traction, and which are expected to be the next key breakthroughs.