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7 major 3D printing technologies
2025-06-13
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) divides them into seven general types (but these seven 3D printing categories also make it difficult to cover the increasing number of technical subtypes and hybrid technologies). This issue will introduce the differences between these technologies
Material Extrusion
Material extrusion is just what the name implies: material is extruded through a nozzle. Typically, the material is a plastic filament that is melted and extruded through a heated nozzle. The printer places the material on the build platform along a process path derived from the software. The filament then cools and solidifies to form a solid object. This is the most common form of 3D printing. It sounds simple at first glance, but it is actually a very broad category considering the materials that are extruded, which include plastics, metals, concrete, biogels, and various foods. This type of 3D printer can range in price from $100 to seven figures.
●Subtypes of material extrusion: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Architectural 3D Printing, Micro 3D Printing, Bio 3D Printing
●Material: plastic, metal, food, concrete, etc.
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.5% (lower limit ±0.5mm)
●Common Applications: Prototypes, electrical enclosures, form and fit testing, jigs and fixtures, investment casting patterns, housings, etc.
●Advantages: Lowest-cost 3D printing method with a wide range of materials
● Disadvantages: Usually low material performance (strength, durability, etc.), usually low dimensional accuracy
Vat polymerization
Vat polymerization (also known as resin 3D printing) is a family of 3D printing processes that uses a light source to selectively cure (or harden) a photopolymer resin in a vat. In other words, the light is precisely directed at specific points or areas of the liquid plastic to harden it. After the first layer is cured, the build platform is moved up or down (depending on the printer) a small amount (usually between 0.01 and 0.05 mm) and the next layer is cured, connecting to the previous one. This process is repeated layer by layer until a 3D part is formed. After the 3D printing process is complete, the object is cleaned to remove any remaining liquid resin and post-cured (either in sunlight or in a UV chamber) to enhance the mechanical properties of the part.
The three most common forms of vat polymerization are stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), and liquid crystal display (LCD), also known as mask stereolithography (MSLA). The fundamental difference between these types of 3D printing technology lies in the light source and the way it is used to cure the resin.
●Types of 3D printing technology: Stereolithography (SLA), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Digital Light Processing (DLP), Micro Stereolithography (μSLA), etc.
●Material: Photopolymer resin (castable, transparent, industrial, biocompatible, etc.)
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.5% (lower limit is ±0.15 mm or 5 nm, using μSLA)
● Common Applications: Injection Molded polymer prototypes and end-use parts, jewelry casting, dental applications, consumer products
●Advantages: Smooth surface finish, fine feature details
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is a 3D printing process in which a source of thermal energy selectively melts powder particles (plastic, metal, or ceramic) within the build area to create a solid object layer by layer. A powder bed fusion 3D printer spreads a thin layer of powder material across the print bed, typically using a blade, roller, or wiper. Energy from the laser fuses specific points on the powder layer, and another powder layer is then deposited and fused to the previous layer. The process is repeated until the entire object is manufactured, with the final product surrounded and supported by the unfused powder.
PBF can create parts with high mechanical properties (including strength, wear resistance and durability) for end-use applications in consumer goods, machinery and tools. 3D printers in this market segment are becoming increasingly affordable (starting at around $25,000), but it is considered an industrial technology.
●Types of 3D printing technologies: Selective laser sintering (SLS), laser powder bed melting (LPBF), electron beam melting (EBM)
●Material: plastic powder, metal powder, ceramic powder
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.3% (lower limit ±0.3mm)
●Common applications: functional components, complex pipes (hollow design), small batch component production
●Advantages: functional parts, excellent mechanical properties, complex geometries
● Disadvantages: Higher machine cost, usually high cost materials, slower construction
Material jetting
Material jetting is a 3D printing process in which tiny droplets of material are deposited and then cured or solidified on a build plate. Objects are built one layer at a time using droplets of photopolymers or wax that solidify when exposed to light. The nature of the material jetting process allows for different materials to be printed on the same object. One application of this technology is to create parts in multiple colors and textures.
●Types of 3D printing technology: Material jetting (MJ), nanoparticle jetting (NPJ)
●Material: photosensitive resin (standard, casting, transparent, high temperature resistant), wax
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.1 mm
●Common applications: full-color product prototypes, prototypes similar to injection molds, low-running injection molds, medical models, fashion
● Advantages: Textured surface finish, full color and multiple materials available
● Disadvantages: Limited materials, not suitable for mechanical parts requiring precision, cost higher than other resin technologies used for visual purposes
Binder jetting
Binder jetting is a 3D printing process in which a liquid binder selectively bonds areas of a layer of powder. This technology type combines features of both powder bed fusion and material jetting. Similar to PBF, binder jetting uses powdered materials (metal, plastic, ceramic, wood, sugar, etc.), and like material jetting, a liquid binder polymer is deposited from an inkjet. Whether it's metal, plastic, sand, or another powdered material, the binder jetting process is the same. First, a recoating blade spreads a thin layer of powder on the build platform. Then, a print head with an inkjet nozzle passes over the bed, selectively depositing droplets of binder to bind the powder particles together. Once the layer is complete, the build platform moves down and the blade recoats the surface. The process is then repeated until the entire part is complete.
Binder jetting is unique in that there is no heat during the printing process. The binder acts as a glue that holds the polymer powder together. After printing, the part is encased in unused powder and is typically left to cure. The part is then removed from the powder bin and the excess powder is collected and can be reused. From here, post-processing is required depending on the material, with the exception of sand, which can often be used as cores or molds directly from the printer. When the powder is metal or ceramic, post-processing involving heating melts away the binder, leaving only the metal. Plastic part post-processing often includes coatings to improve the surface finish. You can also polish, paint, and sand polymer binder jetted parts.
Binder jetting is fast and has high production rates, so it can produce high volumes of parts more cost-effectively than other AM methods. Metal binder jetting can be used on a variety of metals and is popular for end-use consumer goods, tooling, and volume spare parts. However, polymer binder jetting has limited material selection and produces parts with lower structural properties. Its value lies in its ability to produce full-color prototypes and models.
●Binder jetting 3D printing technology subtypes: metal binder jetting, polymer binder jetting, sand binder jetting
●Materials: sand, polymer, metal, ceramic, etc.
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.2 mm (metal) or ±0.3 mm (sand)
●Common applications: functional metal parts, full-color models, sand castings and molds
Advantages: Low cost, large build volume, functional metal parts, excellent color reproduction, fast printing speed, support-free design flexibility
● Disadvantages: It is a multi-step process for metals, polymer parts are not durable
Powder Directed Energy Deposition
Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a 3D printing process where metal material is deposited and melted simultaneously with a powerful energy supply. This is one of the broadest 3D printing categories, with many subcategories depending on the form of the material (wire or powder) and the type of energy (laser, electron beam, arc, ultrasonic, heat, etc.). Essentially, it has a lot in common with welding.
The technology is used to print layer by layer, often followed by Cnc Machining to achieve tighter tolerances. The use of DED in conjunction with CNC is so common that there is a subtype of 3D printing called hybrid 3D printing, which contains both DED and CNC units in the same machine. The technology is considered a faster and cheaper alternative for low-volume metal castings and forgings, as well as critical repairs for applications in the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as aerospace, power generation and utilities industries.
●Subtypes of directed energy deposition: powder laser energy deposition, wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), wire electron beam energy deposition, cold spray
●Material: Various metals, wire and powder forms
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.1 mm
● Common Applications: Repair of high-end automotive/aerospace parts, functional prototypes and final parts
Advantages: High stacking rate, ability to add metal to existing components
● Disadvantages: Complex shapes cannot be made due to the inability to make support structures, usually poor surface finish and accuracy
Sheet Lamination
Sheet lamination is technically a form of 3D printing and is very different from the above techniques. It functions by stacking and laminating very thin layers of material together to produce a 3D object or stack, which is then cut mechanically or by laser to form the final shape. The layers of material can be fused together using a variety of methods, including heat and sound, depending on the material, which can range from paper to polymers to metals. When parts are laminated and then laser cut or machined into the desired shape, more waste is generated than with other 3D printing techniques.
Manufacturers use sheet lamination to produce cost-effective non-functional prototypes at relatively high speeds, which can be used in battery technology and to produce composite materials, as the materials used can be interchanged during the printing process.
●Types of 3D printing technology: Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), Ultrasonic Consolidation (UC)
●Materials: Paper, polymer and sheet metal
●Dimensional accuracy: ±0.1 mm
●Common applications: non-functional prototypes, multi-color printing, casting.
●Advantages: Rapid production and composite printing
●Disadvantages: low precision, high waste, some parts need post-production
There are many types of 3D printing technology（https://www.xmrex-tech.com/services/）. The above are the seven most common types of additive manufacturing technologies in 3D printing. They are suitable for different application scenarios and materials. With the continuous advancement of technology, 3D printing technology is gradually penetrating into industrial manufacturing, medical treatment, construction, education and other fields, showing great development potential and application prospects.