a comprehensive review of additive manufacturing methods used in industry

Additive manufacturing has emerged as a key manufacturing paradigm, enabling the fabrication of complex components through layer-by-layer material deposition. over the past decades, a wide range of additive manufacturing methods has been developed, including polymer-based processes such as fused deposition modeling and selective laser sintering, as well as metal-based techniques such as selective laser melting, electron beam melting, and directed energy deposition. each method offers distinct advantages in material compatibility, geometric freedom, and achievable mechanical performance. this paper provides an overview of major additive manufacturing methods, with a focus on their industrial relevance and application domains. the capabilities of different processes are discussed in terms of achievable part quality, material efficiency, and suitability for functional components. particular attention is given to powder bed fusion technologies, which have demonstrated the ability to produce near fully dense metallic parts with controlled microstructures and competitive mechanical properties. despite significant progress, additive manufacturing processes still face challenges related to process stability, parameter optimization, residual stresses, and standardization. ongoing research efforts in process modeling, monitoring, and post-processing are essential to improve reliability and expand industrial adoption. overall, additive manufacturing methods continue to evolve toward mature manufacturing solutions, with increasing importance in advanced engineering applications.