Physics

Fusion

Nanotechnology

Metal powder

Laser

Optics

Inertial confinement fusion

Engineering

Philosophy

Selective laser melting

Metallurgy

Materials science

Linguistics

Rapid prototyping

Metal

3D printing

Mechanical engineering

Reviews of Modern Physics

Additive manufacturing, called 3D printing, has become ubiquitous in classrooms, laboratories, and research centers. While printing with plastics has revolutionized prototyping and modeling, it is now possible to fabricate metal parts and devices directly from computer models by fusing metal particles together with high-intensity lasers. This review focusses on the flow of heat and material in the high temperature environment, the instabilities that arise, and the tools to control them.

Laser melting modes in metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing