Main abbreviations
- AM
Additive Manufacturing
Process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies.
- BTJ
Binder Jetting
Additive manufacturing process in which a liquid bonding agent is selectively deposited to join powder materials. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
- DED
Direct Energy Deposition
Additive manufacturing process in which focused thermal energy is used to fuse materials by melting as they are being deposited. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
- DLP®
Digital Light Processing
Known as a vat photopolymerization process used to produce parts from photopolymer materials in a liquid state using a light projector to cure a complete layer to a predetermined thickness and harden the material into the shape emmited by the projector; term denotes technology developed by Texas Instruments.
- DMLS®
Direct Metal Laser Sintering
A powder bed fusion process used to make metal parts directly from metal powders without intermediate “green” or “brown” parts; term denotes metal-based laser sintering systems from EOS GmbH – Electro Optical Systems.
- EBM®
Electron Beam Melting
A powder bed fusion process used to produce parts by utilizing a high-power electron beam that allows for high melting capacity of metal powder; term denotes machines built by ArCam, now part of GE Additive.
- FDM®
Fused Deposition Modeling
A material extrusion process used to make thermoplastic parts through heated extrusion and deposition of materials layer by layer; term denotes machines built by Stratasys, Inc.
- LS
Laser Sintering
A powder bed fusion process used to produce objects from powdered materials using one or more lasers to selectively fuse or melt the particles at the surface, layer by layer, in an enclosed chamber.
- MEX
Material Extrusion
Aditive manufacturing process in which material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
- MJT
Material Jetting
An additive manufacturing process in which droplets of build material are selectively deposited. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
- MJF®
Multi Jet Fusion
A powder bed fusion process used to produce parts by utilizing a heat source and fuse agent to selectively melt the powder. A detailing agent is also jetted around the contours to improve the object resolution; term denotes machines built by HP.
- PBF
Powder Bed Fusion
An additive manufacturing process in which thermal energy selectively fuses regions of a powder bed. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
- SHL
Sheet Lamination
Additive manufacturing process in which sheets of material are bonded to form an object. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
- SL
Stereolithography
A vat photopolymerization process used to produce parts from photopolymer materials in a liquid state using one or more lasers to selectively cure to a predetermined thickness and harden the material into shape layer upon layer.
- SLA®
Stereolithography Apparatus
Denotes the SL machines from 3D Systems Corporation.
- SLM®
Selective Laser Melting
A powder bed fusion process used to produce parts by utilizing a high-power laser to selectively melt the powder; term denotes machines built by SLM Solutions.
- SLS®
Selective Laser Sintering
Denotes the LS process and machines from 3D Systems Corporation.
- VPP
Vat Photopolymerization
Additive manufacturing process in which liquid photopolymer in a vat is selectively cured by light-activated polymerization. It is one of the 7 process categories defined by ISO 17296 standard.
Complete abbreviation guide
3DB
Three-Dimensional Bioplotter
3DCP
3D Concrete Printing
3DP
Three-Dimensional Printing
AF
Additive Fabrication
ALPD
Automated Laser Powder Deposition
AM
Additive Manufacturing
BAAM
Big Area Additive Manufacturing
BM
Biomanufacturing
BTJ
Binder Jetting
CAL
Computed Axial Lithography
CAM-LEM
Computer-Aided Manufacturing Of Laminated Engineering Materials
CDLP
Continuous Digital Light Processing
CJP
Color Jet Printing
CLFDM
Curved layer fused deposition modelling
CLIP
Continuous Liquid Interface Production
DCM
Direct Composite Manufacturing
DCP
Digital Construction Platform
DED
Direct Energy Deposition
DIPC
Direct Inkjet Printing Of Ceramics
DIW
Direct Ink Writing
DLC
Direct Laser Casting
DLF
Directed Light Fabrication
DLP
Digital Light Processing
DLS
Digital Light Synthesis
DMD
Direct Metal Deposition
DMLS
Direct Metal Laser Sintering
DMP
Direct Metal Printing
DOD
Drop On Demand
DPP
Daylight Printing Polymer
EBAM
Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing
EBM
Electron Beam Melting
EBW
Electron Beam Welding
EBF3
Electron-Beam Freeform Fabrication
EP
Electrophotographic Printing
ERP
Electrophotographic Rapid Printing
FDC
Fused Deposition Of Ceramics
FDM
Fused Deposition Modeling
FEF
Freeze-form Extrusion Fabrication
FFEF
Freeze-Form Extrusion Fabrication
FFF
Fused Filament Fabrication
FLM
Fused Layer Modeling
FLM
Fused Layer Manufacturing
FLM
Food Layered Manufacturing
GDP
Gel Dispensing Printing
HSS
High Speed Sintering
IFF
Ion Fusion Formation
IJP-A
Aqueous Direct Inkjet Printing
IJP-UV
Uv Direct Inkjet Printing
IJP-W
Hot-Melt Direct Inkjet Printing
IRP
Inkjet Rapid Prototyping
JP
Jet Prototyping
LAM
Laser Additive Manufacturing
LBM
Laser Beam Melting
LC
Laser Cladding
LCM
Lithography-based Ceramics Manufacturing
LCVD
Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition
LDC
Laser Direct Casting
LDW
Laser Deposition Welding
LDM
Low-Temperature Deposition Manufacturing
LENS
Laser Engineered Net Shaping
LFAM
Large-format Additive Aanufacturing
LFFF
Laser Free Form Fabrication
LLM
Layer Laminated Manufacturing
LM
Laminated Manufacturing
LMD
Laser Material Deposition
LMF
Laser Metal Forming
LOM
Layered Object Manufacturing
LOM
Laminated Object Manufacturing
LPD
Laser Powder Deposition
LPBF
Laser Powder Bed Fusion
LPF
Laser Powder Fusion
LPS
Liquid-Phase Sintering
LRF
Laser Rapid Forming
LS
Laser Sintering
M3D
Maskless Mesoscale Material Deposition
MD
Metal Deposition
MEM
Melted Extrusion Manufacturing
MEX
Material Extrusion
MIM
Material Increase Manufacturing
MJT
Material Jetting
MJF
Multi Jet Fusion
MJM
Multijet Modeling System
MJS
Multiphase Jet Solidification
MS
Mask Sintering
M-SL
Microstereolithography
NPJ
Nano Particle Jetting
PBBJ
powder bed binder jetting
PBF
Powder Bed Fusion
PJM
Poly Jet Modeling
PPE
Photopolymer Extrusion
RFP
Rapid Freeze Prototyping
RM
Rapid Manufacturing
RP
Rapid Prototyping
RPM
Rapid Prototyping And Manufacturing
RT
Rapid Tooling
RTM
Rapid Tool Maker
SALDVI
Selective Area Laser Deposition And Vapor Infiltration
SAM
Silicone Additive Manufacturing
SCS
Solid Creation System
SDL
Selective Deposition Lamination
SDM
Shape Deposition Manufacturing
SEBM
Selective Electron Beam Melting
SFC
Solid Film Curing
SFF
Solid Free-Form Fabrication
SGC
Solid Ground Curing
SHL
Sheet Lamination
SHS
Selective Heat Sintering
SL
Stereolithography
SLA
Stereolithography Apparatus
SLAM
Stress-Line Additive Manufacturing
SL-C
Stereolithography Of Ceramics
SLM
Selective Laser Melting
SLP
Solid Laser Diode Plotter
SLS
Selective Laser Sintering
SLSM
Selective Laser Sintering Of Metals
SOUP
Solid Object Ultra-Violet Laser Printer
SS
Selective Sintering
SSE
Semi Solid Extrusion
SSM-SFF
Semisolid Metal Solid Freeform Fabrication
SSS
Solid-State Sintering
UC
Ultrasonic Consolidation
UOC
Ultrasonic Object Consolidation
WAAM
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing