Emerging Functional Metals in Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a disruptive technology which continues to challenge conventional manufacturing methods. New generations of materials for metal AM are sought to enable components with new functionalities and to save costs. However, many within the AM industry are primarily focused on metal alloys such as titanium alloys, cobalt alloys, nickel superalloys, aluminum alloys or stainless steels. This article presents a detailed overview of emerging non-ferrous metals in the AM industry and their recent development. The potential and challenges of these materials and their adoption by AM are highlighted and compared to those of conventional materials. Furthermore, qualification pathways and supply issues for newly developed materials are discussed. This perspective is based on literature review and a thorough analysis of the metal AM industry.