Development of Laser Additive Manufacturing Technologies with Metallic Powders

および生体インプラントへの展開を目指したチタン系粉 Laser Additive Manufacturing (LAM) is a rapid manufacturing technique capable of producing complex three-dimensional parts rapidly from CAD (computer aided design) models by melting or sintering successive thin layers of powder with a laser beam. LAM with metallic powders is widely adopted in the industrial world as an effective method for the trial or direct manufacturing of molding dies with inner cooling channels and complex mechanical parts, particularly in the automobile and aerospace industries. LAM is also available as an attractive option in the medical world for the fabrication of various tailor-made implants. This review article introduces the principles, characteristics, and technical trends of the LAM process. We also present partial results from our research into LAM processes using carbon steel powders and titanium powders to fashion extremely strong materials and metallic biomaterials, respectively.