3D Addictive Manufacturing is defined by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which defines Addictive Manufacturing as a three-dimension object that is connected with materials through laminated method and driven by 3D model. The definition is opposite to the way of traditional subtraction manufacturing.

Addictive Manufacturing (AM for short) is the general term for all the manufacture technologies for three-dimensional physical model obtained directly from three-dimensional mathematical model by adding materials. It contains Mechanical Engineering, CAD, Reverse Engineering Technology, Layered Manufacturing Technology, Numerical Control Technology, Material Sciences and Laser Technology. AM can automatically, directly, quickly and accurately transfer the design ideas to prototype with a certain function, or directly manufacture components, which provides an implementation strategy with high efficiency and low cost for the making of parts prototypes and verifying new design ideas. It is called “Addictive Manufacturing” by academics, while media prefer to call it “Three-Dimensional Printing”, “3D Printing”, or “Rapid Prototyping”.