Materials Innovations - Additive Manufacturing

Startups and scaleups are developing 3D printers and novel materials tailored for various additive manufacturing processes. The 3D printing techniques making it into the top trends are powder bed fusion (PBF), vat photopolymerization (VPP), direct energy deposition, material extrusion, and binder jetting.

Three types of materials can be used in additive manufacturing: polymers, ceramics and metals. All seven individual AM processes, cover the use of these materials, although polymers are most commonly used and some additive techniques lend themselves towards the use of certain materials over others.