Metallic materials for 3D printing

Three-dimensional (3D) printing of metallic materials involves the layerwise consolidation of feedstock materials in the form of powder, wire, or sheet using various energy sources to form complex shapes. The past two decades have witnessed significant advances in the field, in terms of both technologies and materials for metal 3D printing. This has led to widespread exploration and adoption of the technologies across industry, academia, and R&D organizations. This article presents an overview of the field of metal 3D printing. A brief history of metal 3D printing is followed by an overview of metal 3D printing methods and metallic material systems used in these methods. Microstructure and properties, and their relationship to process parameters are discussed next, followed by current challenges and qualification issues. The article concludes with future trends and a brief description of the invited articles included in this special issue.