| Technologies | SLM | EBM | LMD | LENS | EBFF |
| Heat source | Laser | Electron beam | Laser | Laser | Electron beam |
| Material form | Powder | Powder/Wire | Powder | Powder | Fuse wire |
| Working condition | Inertia | Vacuum | Inertia | Inertia | Vacuum |
| Size Complexity Appearance quality Forming efficiency Forming accuracy Density Post process | Medium-small | Medium-small | Large-medium | Large-medium | Large |
| Extremely | Extremely | Complex | Complex | Complex | |
| Excellent | Good | Average | Poor | Poor | |
| Medium | Medium | High | Medium | Highest | |
| High | Good | Average | Poor | Medium | |
| High | High | Good | High | High | |
| Hardly | Hardly | A little | A little | A little | |
| Formable materials | Titanium alloy, super-alloys, steel, aluminium alloy, carbide alloy, Co-Cr, Cu-Su, WNi, Ni-Al, Nb-Ti-Si, FGMs, … | ||||