Laser-based bionic manufacturing

Abstract Over millions of years of natural evolution, organisms have developed nearly perfect structures and functions. The self-fabrication of organisms serves as a valuable source of inspiration for designing the next-generation of structural materials, and is driving the future paradigm shift of modern materials science and engineering. However, the complex structures and multifunctional integrated optimization of organisms far exceed the capability of artificial design and fabrication technology, and new manufacturing methods are urgently needed to achieve efficient reproduction of biological functions. As one of the most valuable advanced manufacturing technologies of the 21st century, laser processing technology provides an efficient solution to the critical challenges of bionic manufacturing. This review outlines the processing principles, manufacturing strategies, potential applications, challenges, and future development outlook of laser processing in bionic manufacturing domains. Three primary manufacturing strategies for laser-based bionic manufacturing are elucidated: subtractive manufacturing, equivalent manufacturing, and additive manufacturing. The progress and trends in bionic subtractive manufacturing applied to micro/nano structural surfaces, bionic equivalent manufacturing for surface strengthening, and bionic additive manufacturing aiming to achieve bionic spatial structures, are reported. Finally, the key problems faced by laser-based bionic manufacturing, its limitations, and the development trends of its existing technologies are discussed.