Laser Solid Forming (LSF) is an innovative method for direct fabrication of metallic components in additive manufacturing. Renowned researchers Weidong Huang and Lin Xin, from China's Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shaanxi, describe their progress and applications with LSF technology and the excellent mechanical properties of the metallic parts produced in a Review article in 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

The article is available free on the 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing website until November 9, 2014. In the article "Research Progress in Laser Solid Forming of High Performance Metallic Components at the State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing of China," the authors review research advances toward the goal of developing LSF-an additive manufacturing technique that uses laser cladding with synchronously feeding metal powders-for obtaining fully dense metal parts with mechanical properties similar to those produced by casting or forging.

"Additive manufacturing technologies have a global reach that is impacting the manufacturing landscape worldwide, and it is critical that both technology developers and users across the planet keep abreast of each other's progress," says Editor-in-Chief Hod Lipson, PhD, Professor at Cornell University's Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Ithaca, NY.