The chapter presents a comprehensive report of technological developments
in direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). The DMLS process is a powder bed fusion
process capable of manufacturing three-dimensional complex metallic parts through the
layer-by-layer deposition of metallic materials having a wide range of applications in
different fields, such as medical, automotive, aerospace, and energy. The present
chapter aims to provide an insight on the DMLS working principle, sintering
mechanism, and process parameters (i.e., laser power, scan speed, layer thickness, etc.)
that influence the quality of the built part. Also, a comprehensive discussion on process
monitoring and control techniques, modeling, and optimization techniques has been
presented. Further, an extensive argument is provided on the challenges faced in
DMLS concerning various materials (titanium, aluminum, steel, etc.), the evolution of
microstructure, and mechanical properties experimentally and numerically. The chapter
concludes with a detailed discussion on various applications and future research
directions.
Keywords: Additive manufacturing, Aluminium alloys, Applications, DMLS
process, Microstructure, Process monitoring and control, Process parameters,
Sintering mechanism, Titanium alloys.
