Additive manufacturing technology, process parameters influencing product quality and its applications

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is a new way of manufacturing components by depositing materials layer by layer according to a digital model. Since its birth in the 1980s, AM has offered new opportunities to manufacturers, and has given rise to new applications. Several three-dimensional (3D) processes exist, each having specific properties and different types of technology. While AM offers significant benefits, it also presents some challenges to designers that must be understood and addressed. This article reviews the advances in this field, the main processes studied or used, and their characteristics, including the main parameters influencing product quality. We summarize all the factors in fishbone diagrams for each AM family. Finally, some AF industrial applications were discussed with its use and contribution to the fight against COVID-19 during the pandemic.