Additive Manufacturing: The Current State of the Art and Future Potential

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM, also known as 3-D printing) technologies offer the potential to revolutionize the creation of parts, disrupt supply chains, and positively affect every major industry in existence today. However, technical challenges are preventing the full vision of AM from being realized. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) uses AM extensively to create prototypes and functional parts in support of its missions. This article summarizes the current state of the art, provides poignant examples of current AM capabilities, and offers a glimpse of the future potential.