Beam sources for metal additive manufacturing - status quo and requirements

This paper discuss the enormous economic potential of AM which depends on availability of efficient, low-cost AM technologies. The paper focus on the SLM technology for metal parts. Laser beam sources and the optical systems are key components, defining the cost and the efficiency of SLM-systems. The author discuss both, commercially available SLM-systems and some new, very promising approaches, based on cost-efficient, high power diode laser modules.