In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printers (additive manufacturing) have been in the spotlight as a new method by which to manufacture products. Additive manufacturing technology is being actively researched and applied for practical use with various materials, such as metals, resins, ceramics, sand molds, foodstuffs, and cultured meat. In this study, we describe the fabrication of metal products by the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) method, which is widely used in metal additive manufacturing (AM). In addition, we introduce practical applications, such as golf putter heads and copper alloy products, that have attracted attention. These two applications showcase the practical use of newly developed AM materials. In addition, we introduce examples of AM objects that add magnetism to nonmagnetic aluminum alloys and provide hints for practical applications. When manufacturing with a 3D printer, it is important to consider and coordinate not only the AM aspects, such as the equipment performance and building conditions of the 3D printer, but also the entire process, including the powder and the post-building process that are used. From the perspective of the industrial applications of 3D printers, we will also introduce the Hyogo Metal Belt Consortium, which started in 2019.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, which is also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is an emerging method for directly printing objects from digital data. AM was initially used for prototyping because it can shorten lead times and confers advantages in applications involving small quantities and high variety. Recently, driven by advancements in printed part design, printer machines, and materials, its scope has expanded to industrial fields, including functional prototyping and end-use production. Among the promising AM methods, powder bed fusion (PBF) stands out for its ability to produce printed parts with excellent mechanical properties. From these points, Toray has developed and released Toraymill™ PPS and Toraypearl™ PA6 exclusively for PBF. These are classified as high-performance polymers, and they are manufactured by Toray, ranging from polymerization to compounding. Hence, we modified PPS and PA6 for PBF applications. These printed parts can realize advanced properties, such as high heat resistance, mechanical properties, and chemical resistance. PPS and PA6 are widely used in functional prototyping and are currently used in end-use production. In this study, we discuss the features of these powders, provide examples of their application, and outline their future prospects.

Casting is a process characterized by free shape creation by pouring molten metal into a mold. Moreover, casting is useful for manufacturing parts that have an internal shape. Direct molding via 3D printing using inkjet technology is useful for molding complex-shaped molds and cores with undercuts that cannot be transferred from a model. In addition, this method is useful for improving mold cavity accuracy via integral molding. This technology is capable of modeling faster than other 3D printers. Hence, it is possible to mass produce thousands to tens of thousands of products per month. As a result of developments aimed at speeding up sand-molding 3D printers, factors that can speed up rapid trial production, small-quantity production, weight reduction, the integration of multiple functions, the integration of multiple components, and mass-production applications have been recognized.