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Scientific, technological and economic issues in metal printing and their solutions

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3D printing is now widely used in aerospace, healthcare, energy, automotive and other industries. Metal printing, in particular, is the fastest growing sector, yet its development presents scientific, technological and economic challenges that must be understood and addressed.

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Fig. 1: Current status of metal printing.

SciePro/Science Photo Library (hip joint implant); GE Aviation (fuel nozzle). Adapted from ref. 8, Springer Nature Ltd (hydraulic valve); and ref. 9, Springer Nature Ltd (gas turbine blades)

Fig. 2: Challenges in metal printing.
Fig. 3: Cost competitiveness of metal printing.

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DebRoy, T., Mukherjee, T., Milewski, J.O. et al. Scientific, technological and economic issues in metal printing and their solutions. Nat. Mater. 18, 1026–1032 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-019-0408-2

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