Table 1.

Common metal 3D printing processes.

Process	Merits	Demerits
DMLS	1. Metal alloy or alloy powder 2. Unsintered or melted materials can be reused 3. Printing can achieve high precision	1. Expensive 2. The porosity of the print is high 3. Metal powder is sintered rather than melted
SLM	1. The density of processed standard metal exceeds 99% 2. Good mechanical properties are equivalent to the traditional process 3. Parts can be used for later welding	1. Poor resolution 2. Poor surface roughness, residual internal stress
EBM	1. Different kinds of metals with fusible high melting point 2. The resulting residual stress is very low 3. Customizable design, higher processing efficiency 4. It is suitable for the processing of medical devices with better biocompatibility	1. The cost of equipment is expensive 2. It causes environmental pollution 3. Non-conductive materials must be used
DED	1. Easy access to raw materials 2. Low processing cost	1. Lower resolution accuracy 2. Higher surface roughness 3. The complexity of parts may be limited 4. Requires post-processing