Abstract
In the industrial world, the topic of sustainability is gaining in importance, and it is the main issue in research and development regarding manufacturing. Looking for higher resource-efficiency and lightweight components results in a continuously increasing use of parts made by additive manufacturing (AM) and cellular materials. This paper will include highlights in laser beam melting and metal open-cell structures compared to conventional materials, considering different environmental and socioeconomic aspects. Examples will be presented in the area of machine tools and medical engineering. The main advantages of additive manufacturing comprise the compact, lightweight, and customized design of the components and the manufacturing of geometrically complex parts, reducing assembling efforts. One example of an open-cell structure was manufactured by investment casting.