Antenna Design Using Modern Additive Manufacturing Technology: A Review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is an area of research that has received great attention in the last decade and it is pointed out by many as the future of manufacturing. 3D printing can be described as an additive process that creates a physical object from a digital model, depositing materials layer by layer. The ability to quickly produce complex structures at a reduced cost and without wasting materials is the main reason why this additive manufacturing technique is increasingly being used instead of conventional manufacturing processes. 3D printing has been applied in several scenarios, including automotive, maritime and construction industry, healthcare, as well as in the antenna research field. This paper reviews the current state-of-the-art of 3D printed antennas. Firstly, an overview of 3D printing technology is presented and then a vast number of 3D printed antennas, categorized by their construction process, are described. Finally, the main advantages and some of the limitations of using 3D printing technology in the construction of Radio Frequency (RF) structures are presented.