Additive manufacturing (AM) is fundamentally different from traditional formative or subtractive manufacturing in that it is the closest to the ‘bottom up’ manufacturing where a structure can be built into its designed shape using a ‘layer-by-layer’ approach rather than casting or forming by technologies such as forging or machining. AM is versatile, flexible, highly customizable and, as such, can suite most sectors of industrial production. Materials to make these parts/objects can be of a widely varying type. These include metallic, ceramic and polymeric materials along with combinations in the form of composites, hybrid, or functionally graded materials (FGMs). The challenge remains, however, to transfer this ‘making’ shapes and structures into obtaining objects that are functional. A great deal of work is needed in AM in addressing the challenges related to its two key enabling technologies namely ‘materials’ and ‘metrology’ to achieve this functionality in a predictive and reproductive ways. The good news is that there is a significant interest in industry for taking up AM as one of the main production engineering route. Additive Manufacturing, in our opinion, is definitely at the cross-road from where this new, much-hyped but somewhat unproven manufacturing process must move towards a technology that can demonstrate the ability to produce real, innovative, complex and robust products.

中文翻译：

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增材制造：科技挑战、市场吸收和机遇

增材制造 (AM) 与传统的成型或减材制造有着根本的不同，因为它最接近“自下而上”制造，在这种制造中，可以使用“逐层”方法而不是铸造将结构构建到其设计形状或通过锻造或机械加工等技术成型。AM 用途广泛、灵活、高度可定制，因此适用于大多数工业生产部门。制造这些零件/物体的材料可以是多种多样的。这些包括金属、陶瓷和聚合物材料，以及复合材料、混合材料或功能梯度材料 (FGM) 形式的组合。然而，挑战仍然存在，将这种“制造”形状和结构转化为获得功能性物体。AM 需要大量工作来解决与其两项关键使能技术（即“材料”和“计量学”）相关的挑战，以便以预测和再生的方式实现这一功能。好消息是，工业界对将 AM 作为主要生产工程路线之一产生了浓厚的兴趣。在我们看来，增材制造绝对处于十字路口，这种新的、大肆宣传但有些未经证实的制造过程必须转向一种能够证明生产真实、创新、复杂和稳健产品的能力的技术。好消息是，工业界对将 AM 作为主要生产工程路线之一产生了浓厚的兴趣。在我们看来，增材制造绝对处于十字路口，这种新的、大肆宣传但有些未经证实的制造工艺必须转向一种能够证明生产真实、创新、复杂和稳健产品的能力的技术。好消息是，工业界对将 AM 作为主要生产工程路线之一产生了浓厚的兴趣。在我们看来，增材制造绝对处于十字路口，这种新的、大肆宣传但有些未经证实的制造工艺必须转向一种能够证明生产真实、创新、复杂和稳健产品的能力的技术。