Extensive Capabilities of Additive Manufacturing and Its Metrological Aspects

Today, additive manufacturing (AM) is employed in various sectors, including aerospace, automobiles, healthcare, architecture, toys, arts and design, construction, etc. The AM used a set of technologies like 3D printing, 3D scanning, and designing, scanning, and printing software. 3D printing technologies are used to build 3D objects from computer-aided design models by layering material on top of material until a genuine part is formed. It is anticipated that AM will significantly impact manufacturing and, ultimately, on all of our lives. However, a sustained research effort into AM metrology is required to make the manufacturing revolution a reality. Tolerance and quality control methods must be in place for AM processes, starting with offline metrology and progressing to closed-loop control utilising inline metrology. This paper discusses the various significant capabilities of AM with their metrological aspects. Furthermore, several crucial industrial prospects of AM for measurement systems are discussed briefly. Finally, the paper discusses the significant features of inspection and quality control. A reliable methodology for the metrological assessment of AM parts would be highly advantageous in expanding AM’s utility. As a result of the extensive literature evaluation, the current study will assist students, engineers, designers, manufacturers, and metrologists in identifying research gaps and potential for the field’s progress.