In order to fully understand the influence of laser on additive manufacturing
the types of lasers widely used in additive manufacturing were reviewed
and important parameters related to additive manufacturing were analyzed for each type of laser. In addition
the advantages and limitations of each laser in additive manufacturing were inspected. For each additive manufacturing method
the latest progress of applicable lasers was introduced. The future of laser-based additive manufacturing was discussed at the end. Conclusion: CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers are still the backbone of various manufacturing technologies; Yb-fiber lasers have advantages such as higher average power
system stability
high parameter tunability
and low maintenance costs
and are gradually replacing Nd:YAG Lasers; although excimer lasers have relatively low beam quality and high cost
they can still be used for additive manufacturing that requires high-power UV laser beams; laser-based additive manufacturing must choose a laser source for additive manufacturing based on target performance.