LPBF Printable Alloys Patent Landscape 2026
The LPBF printable alloys patent space is in a Growth stage, with Chinese academic institutions holding the top positions and China alone accounting for the dominant share of filing activity. The field is expanding on a multi-year basis, with the leading filer being South China University of Technology, and the top five filers commanding a notable portion of output among the hundred largest filers.
Chinese universities lead a fragmented but rapidly growing field
South. China University of Technology ranks first with 23 patent families, followed closely by Central South University (18) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (17). The top five filers collectively hold 20% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, signaling a moderately concentrated leading tier within an otherwise fragmented field.
The gap between the leader (23 patent families) and the fifth-ranked applicant (14 patent families) is relatively narrow, suggesting no single entity has established a commanding lock on foundational claims. Below the top five, the ranking disperses quickly across a long tail of universities, state-owned enterprises, and a small number of Western industrial players.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South China University of Technology | 23 | |
| 2 | Central South University | 18 | |
| 3 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 17 | |
| 4 | NANJING UNIV OF AERONAUTICS & ASTRONAUTICS | 15 | |
| 5 | Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 14 | |
| 6 | RUSAL Engineering and Technology Centre LLC | 12 | |
| 7 | HUAZHONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 12 | |
| 8 | Northwestern Polytechnical University | 9 | |
| 9 | Wuhu State-Owned Factory of Machining | 9 | |
| 10 | Xi’an Space Engine Co., Ltd. | 9 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH BEIJING | 8 | |
| 12 | North University of China | 8 | |
| 13 | NANJING UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 8 | |
| 14 | NINGBO INST OF MATERIALS TECH & ENG CHINESE ACAD O… | 7 | |
| 15 | KUNMING UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 7 | |
| 16 | Xi’an Jiaotong University | 6 | |
| 17 | Jiangsu University OF SCI & TECH | 6 | |
| 18 | Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC | 6 | |
| 19 | VOESTALPINE BOEHLER EDELSTAHL GMBH & CO KG | 6 | |
| 20 | Jiangsu University | 6 |
The dominance of academic institutions at the top implies that much of the core alloy-formulation and process-parameter IP remains in publicly accessible university portfolios, which may lower barriers for industrial entrants seeking licensing or collaborative development, but also signals that deep applied manufacturing know-how is still being built out.
Filings from the most recent 18–24 months are likely under-counted due to standard patent publication lag; the figures presented here should be treated as a floor for recent activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Sustained annual growth with powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing as the twin IPC pillars
The filing trend chart tracks annual activity from 2017 onward, revealing rapid acceleration through the early 2020s and continued growth to the present. The technology composition chart maps IPC class representation, showing a clear dual-core structure anchored in powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing, with alloy composition claims as a strong third pillar.
Annual filing trend
Activity climbed from near-zero in 2017 to a multi-year expansion across the full window, with the 37% recent-period growth rate reflecting genuine field acceleration. The 2025–2026 bars should be read as floors given publication lag; the apparent step-up in 2023–2024 is consistent with the Growth lifecycle designation.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B22F (powder metallurgy) and B33Y (additive manufacturing) together account for the overwhelming majority of IPC tagging, confirming that LPBF alloy patents are primarily process- and material-composition claims. C22C (alloys) forms a sizeable third class, while downstream branches such as C22F (non-ferrous metal treatment), C23C (coating and surface deposition), and C21D (heat treatment) each carry notably lower counts, pointing to relative sparsity in post-build processing IP.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Ultrafast laser shock forging assisted laser powde…
Provided is an ultrafast laser shock forging assisted laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) method capable of inhibiting formation of thermal cracks in a high-strength aluminum alloy. Technical points of the present disclosure: During a LPBF process of an aluminum alloy, a molten layer is subjected to shock forging with a mechanical effect of ultra-high-pressure… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 选区激光熔化技术用Al-Mg-Sc-Zr系铝合金组合物及成型件制备方法 | 56 |
| 2 | 一种增材制造高强铝合金粉及其制备方法和应用 | 49 |
| 3 | 一种采用极小曲面多孔结构制备钛合金植入体的方法 | 47 |
| 4 | 3D printing method and powder mixture for 3D print… | 44 |
| 5 | 一种选区激光熔化成型制备钛合金零件的方法 | 41 |
| 6 | 一种采用选择性激光熔化快速成形技术制备高温钛合金的方法 | 40 |
| 7 | 一种提升3D打印高强铝合金粉末成形性的方法 | 39 |
| 8 | 一种适用于4D打印镍钛形状记忆合金的加工方法 | 36 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural observations — maturity, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geography — frame where risk and opportunity currently sit for an entrant or existing player in LPBF printable alloys.
Growth stage: annual filings still rising
The lifecycle evidence designates this field as Growth, with annual filings continuing to rise and the most recent years understated by publication lag. The 37% recent-window growth rate confirms the field has not yet entered a consolidation or plateau phase. For R&D planning, this means core alloy-formulation claims are still being actively filed and whitespace is contracting — speed of entry matters.
Growth stageModerate top-tier concentration, long tail below
The top five filers hold 20% of the combined output among the hundred largest filers, and the spread between first and fifth place spans only 9 patent families. This moderate concentration means no single player holds an unchallenged dominant position. A focused entrant with novel alloy compositions or process-parameter innovations can realistically compete, particularly in IPC branches currently underserved relative to the B22F/B33Y core.
Moderate concentrationUniversity–industry co-filing is active but tightly clustered
The most active co-filing pair is Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Anhui Xiangbang Composite Materials (4 joint patent families). South China University of Technology co-files with multiple partners including Guangdong Industry Technical College, Ningbo Zhongke Xianglong Lightweight Technology, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and Yangjiang Alloy Materials Laboratory. Huazhong University of Science and Technology co-files with Beijing Institute of Electronic Systems Engineering. Collaboration is predominantly China-domestic and university-anchored, leaving cross-border and industry-to-industry co-development largely open.
China-centric co-filingChina dominates filings; Western coverage is thin
China accounts for 455 of the patent records in scope, with the United States second at 60 and WIPO PCT filings at 23. Europe (EPO) carries 19 records. This geographic skew means many Chinese-origin innovations may lack robust protection in Western manufacturing markets — a potential freedom-to-operate consideration for non-Chinese industrial players, and a signal that Western filers face limited defensive density from incumbent Chinese portfolios in their home jurisdictions.
China-dominant geographyGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Anhui Xiangbang Composite Materials Co., Ltd. | 4 |
| South China University of Technology | Guangdong Industry Technical College | 2 |
| South China University of Technology | Ningbo Zhongke Xianglong Lightweight Technology Co., Ltd. | 2 |
| South China University of Technology | Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 2 |
| Huazhong University of Science and Technology | Beijing Institute of Electronic Systems Engineering | 2 |
| South China University of Technology | Yangjiang Alloy Materials Laboratory | 1 |
| South China University of Technology | Guangzhou Leijia Additive Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| South China University of Technology | China General Nuclear Power Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| Central South University | Hunan Toptek Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
South China University of Technology leads; Shanghai Jiao Tong University shows new-entrant momentum
The ranking is led by two Chinese universities with broad process-and-material portfolios. Momentum signals diverge sharply: the established leader’s recent filing rate has pulled back, while several previously absent filers have entered the ranking in the most recent period.
South China University of Technology
Leads the ranking with 23 patent families. Technology emphasis sits firmly on additive manufacturing process claims (B33Y10, B33Y70) and powder metallurgy (B22F10), reflecting broad coverage of both feedstock and build-parameter IP. Recent-period momentum has eased (▼ –36% vs. prior period), suggesting the university’s foundational filing push may be transitioning toward selective deepening rather than volume growth.
families: 23Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Ranks third overall with 17 patent families and carries a new-entrant momentum signal (▲ new entrant), meaning its recent filing activity represents a fresh entry into the top tier rather than continuation of a prior base. Technology focus mirrors the leader — B22F10 (powder metallurgy) and B33Y10/B33Y70 (additive manufacturing) — with 6 recent-period families. Its active co-filing relationship with Anhui Xiangbang Composite Materials (4 joint families) suggests an emerging university–industry channel worth monitoring.
families: 17| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| South China University of Technology | 7 | ▼ -36% |
| Central South University | 5 | ▼ -50% |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 3 | ▼ -70% |
| Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| RUSAL Engineering and Technology Centre LLC | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Xi’an Space Engine Co., Ltd. | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Post-build processing and surface engineering are under-served relative to the process core
The dominant IPC branches (B22F, B33Y, C22C) account for nearly all patent-record volume. Several technically adjacent branches carry counts that are low relative to the core, suggesting these areas see less dedicated LPBF-specific IP activity and may warrant closer examination for entrants with relevant capabilities.
C22F · Non-ferrous metal treatment (post-build heat and thermo-mechanical treatment)
With 92 records against a B22F/B33Y core running into the hundreds, post-build heat treatment and thermo-mechanical processing tailored to LPBF microstructures is an under-served branch. LPBF parts carry distinctive residual stress profiles and non-equilibrium microstructures that standard alloy heat-treatment regimes do not fully address — creating a plausible technical entry point for groups with expertise in precipitation hardening or stress-relief protocols specific to laser-melted microstructures. Entry could be pursued through novel anneal cycle or aging-treatment claims tied to specific LPBF alloy systems.
Search this in Eureka →C23C · Coating and surface deposition on LPBF parts
Only 26 records fall under C23C (coating and surface deposition), a notably low count given that surface finish and functional coating are practical requirements in aerospace, medical implant, and tooling applications of LPBF alloys. The sparse coverage here may reflect that surface-engineering work on printed alloys is still handled under broader coating patents not LPBF-specific. An entrant with PVD, CVD, or cold-spray expertise applied specifically to the rough and anisotropic surfaces typical of LPBF builds could stake out differentiated claims in this adjacent space.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | B22F 10 · Powder metallurgy | B33Y 10 · Additive manufacturing (3D printing) | B33Y 70 · Additive manufacturing (3D printing) | B22F 1 · Powder metallurgy | C22C 1 · Alloys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South China University of Technology | Strong · 17 | Strong · 18 | Strong · 11 | Moderate · 7 | Moderate · 8 |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Strong · 15 | Strong · 15 | Strong · 11 | Moderate · 5 | Strong · 10 |
| Central South University | Strong · 9 | Strong · 16 | Strong · 14 | Moderate · 5 | Strong · 11 |
| Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics | Strong · 10 | Strong · 15 | Strong · 11 | Moderate · 4 | Moderate · 6 |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Strong · 8 | Strong · 5 | Strong · 6 |
| Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Strong · 12 | Strong · 10 | Strong · 7 | Absent | Moderate · 5 |
| RUSAL Engineering and Technology Centre LLC | Absent | Absent | Strong · 9 | Strong · 8 | Strong · 11 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus in scope contains 587 patent families. This figure is a floor for current activity because filings from the most recent 18–24 months are still working through the publication pipeline.
South China University of Technology leads with 23 patent families, ahead of Central South University (18 families) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (17 families). All top-ranked filers are Chinese academic or research institutions.
China is by far the leading jurisdiction, accounting for 455 patent records. The United States is second at 60 records, followed by WIPO PCT at 23 and Europe (EPO) at 19.
The field is designated Growth, with annual filings still rising and the 37% recent-period growth rate confirming ongoing expansion. The most recent filing years are understated due to publication lag, so the true pace of growth is likely higher than the raw counts suggest.
B22F (powder metallurgy) and B33Y (additive manufacturing) dominate, reflecting that most patents cover process parameters and feedstock. C22C (alloys) is a strong third class. Post-build processing branches such as C22F (non-ferrous metal treatment) and C23C (coating and surface deposition) carry significantly lower counts.
Yes. The most active co-filing pair is Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Anhui Xiangbang Composite Materials with 4 joint patent families. South China University of Technology co-files with several partners including Guangdong Industry Technical College, Ningbo Zhongke Xianglong Lightweight Technology, and the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (Chinese Academy of Sciences). Co-development activity is predominantly China-domestic and university-led.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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