Materials and Techniques for 3D Printing in Ukraine (Overview)

An overview of additive manufacturing techniques in Ukraine from the end of the last century to 2021 is presented. The current state of 3D printing in Ukraine was analyzed in terms of new developments (startups), research areas, and direct implementation of additive manufacturing techniques. The main scientific and research teams that were actively engaged in the development and implementation of additive manufacturing techniques in Ukraine since the end of the 1990s were addressed. They include those involved in research of selective laser sintering for ceramic powders produced from refractory ZrO2–TiO2 and TiN–TiB2 compounds conducted at the Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and research intended to produce 3D parts by fused deposition of metals or alloys called xBeam 3D Metal Printing conducted at the Paton Electric Welding Institute, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. This technique found its commercial implementation in the Chervona Hvilya PJSC startup. The paper discusses the main trends in the development of new equipment for 3D printing with ceramics, polymer/ceramic materials, and metals and alloys, as well as experiments combining different materials to achieve new properties. The latest experiments on the shape of materials are presented. They involve the formation of lattice structures that not only reduce the weight of parts but also impart properties that are comparable to those of dense materials. The main attention is paid to the overview of up-to-date capabilities and prospects for the use of additive manufacturing techniques and materials in national materials science. Attention is also focused on prospects for producing parts of complex shape for various functional purposes from ceramics, metals, and associated composites.