Editors’ foreword to the inaugural issue of Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

From rapid prototyping to additive manufacturing (AM), as it is formally known today, the development of these advanced manufacturing techniques has been complemented with rapid research and innovations in materials science. The requirements for appropriate process and the selection of suitable materials that can be processed by this process are critical for AM applications. As AM matures, specific classes of material have become associated with their corresponding AM processes and applications. Conventionally, AM materials include metals[1], polymers[2], and ceramics[3,4] that have been applied to manufacturing functional parts in high-value industries such as biomedical and aerospace. With recent advancements, biomaterials such as living cells and tissues for 3D bioprinting[5,6] and even edible materials for 3D food printing[7,8] have garnered significant attention. Development of these materials are still ongoing, which drives new frontiers in AM, such as multi-material 3D printing[9-12], artificial intelligence for material design[13], and 4D printing, which incorporate the use of smart materials[14,15].