An additive manufacturing system comprising: a controller configured to control components of the additive manufacturing system; a laser device configured to generate a laser beam with a variable intensity; a build plate configured to support a powdered build material; and a scanning device configured to selectively direct the laser beam across the powdered build material in a first direction to generate a melt pool on the build plate, wherein the scanning device is configured to oscillate a spatial position of the laser beam in at least one second direction different from the first direction while the laser device is configured to simultaneously modulate the variable intensity of the laser beam to facilitate reducing spatter and to facilitate reducing a temperature of the melt pool to reduce overheating of the melt pool; wherein the controller is configured to control the laser device and the scanning device such that the scanning device is configured to oscillate a spatial position of the laser beam in at least one second direction different from the first direction while the laser device simultaneously modulates the variable intensity of the laser beam to facilitate reducing spatter and to facilitate reducing a temperature of the melt pool to reduce overheating of the melt pool; wherein oscillating the position of the laser beam on the melt pool while simultaneously modulating the variable intensity of the laser beam comprises oscillating the position of the laser beam on the melt pool while simultaneously modulating the variable intensity of the laser beam to control a total energy density per area received by a powdered build material on the build plate. a controller configured to control components of the additive manufacturing system; a laser device configured to generate a laser beam with a variable intensity; a build plate configured to support a powdered build material; and a scanning device configured to selectively direct the laser beam across the powdered build material in a first direction to generate a melt pool on the build plate, wherein the scanning device is configured to oscillate a spatial position of the laser beam in at least one second direction different from the first direction while the laser device is configured to simultaneously modulate the variable intensity of the laser beam to facilitate reducing spatter and to facilitate reducing a temperature of the melt pool to reduce overheating of the melt pool; wherein the controller is configured to control the laser device and the scanning device such that the scanning device is configured to oscillate a spatial position of the laser beam in at least one second direction different from the first direction while the laser device simultaneously modulates the variable intensity of the laser beam to facilitate reducing spatter and to facilitate reducing a temperature of the melt pool to reduce overheating of the melt pool; wherein oscillating the position of the laser beam on the melt pool while simultaneously modulating the variable intensity of the laser beam comprises oscillating the position of the laser beam on the melt pool while simultaneously modulating the variable intensity of the laser beam to control a total energy density per area received by a powdered build material on the build plate.