### The Current State of Applicability of Metal Powder Hybrid Manufacturing Processes
This approach, akin to EBM, involves layer-by-layer sintering of thin slices, typically 20-100 \(\upmu\)m thick, until forming a complete 3D object. For complex or unstable components, specialised supports may be necessary to align the components with their virtual models. During process preparation, strategic component orientation accounts for potential property variations due to varied heating conditions across the structure. This method enables the fabrication of intricate, precise shapes with superior surface quality and mechanical performance. DMLS serves as a swift and accurate technique for generating fully functional prototypes or final products across diverse applications. This technology produces robust parts ideal for aerospace, automotive, electronics, and medical sectors, especially when it is challenging to achieve similar results via die casting or machining. Its extensive applications include moulding and machining parts from plastic, metal, or ceramic materials, offering a broad material selection based on usage requirements such as strength, durability, sterilisation, weight, and thermal properties. Materials range from light alloys and steels to superalloys and high-alloy composites, including aluminium, cobalt, chromium, nickel alloys, stainless steels, titanium alloys, and copper alloys. Within direct metal laser sintering technology, variations exist based on applied energy, resulting in selective laser melting (SLM) or selective laser sintering (SLS). SLM yields fully dense parts akin to bulk material but may pose control challenges compared to SLS, where additional treatments may be necessary for superior mechanical properties. However, SLM can induce residual stress and distortion in final components due to the high energy input and complete melting of metal powders. Blown powder processes, differing from powder bed fusion, offer greater geometric flexibility in fabricating parts without constraints of build platform size. These processes involve laser or plasma interaction with a powder feedstock, melting the particles before deposition onto a substrate, whether an initial surface, prepared workpiece, or repaired component. These laser deposition processes are known by various names, such as laser metal deposition (DMD), direct metal deposition (DMD), direct energy deposition (DED), laser engineered array modelling (LENS), laser plating, laser deposition welding, and fusion welding of metal powders. The flexibility of these systems allows multi-material deposition, enabling localised chemical composition adjustments for desired component properties. DED's versatility spans new component production, repair, or restoration of damaged parts, with applications in steam turbine blade coatings or cost-effective material usage by employing special materials only on functional surfaces. While offering a wide material range, the deposited material's microstructure, akin to weldments, often requires subsequent heat treatment for improved mechanical properties. DED's applications encompass laser repair technology (LRT), used for local repairs of damaged components, laser plating technology (LCT), for restoring worn surfaces with thinner layers, and freeform laser manufacturing technology (LFMT), a versatile technique spanning various repair and restoration tasks. The third type of application of DED processes is to create new components with complex shapes. This technology enables the fabrication of parts with free forms based on a 3D computer model [9]. This technology can be used for prototyping or producing unique special components. The material produced by LFMT is almost 100% dense and has properties like forged material. The minimum thicknesses used to obtain the wall of free forms are generally 1.5 mm. The process of metal carbide deposition with a laser is used for producing prototypes or tools and has a wide range of applications, such as the following:  
Mould repairs for reuse--dosurtime costs can increase rapidly when cracks or wear appear in the mould cavity area or even on the mould surface.