Three key capabilities of additive manufacturing are described: 1) Additive manufacturing allows for precise control over a part's nano/microstructure, mesostructure, and macrostructure by changing process parameters and CAD data, which is not possible with conventional manufacturing. 2) Additive manufacturing provides access to the inside of parts during building, allowing for internal features and mechanisms. 3) Additive manufacturing is well-suited for producing parts with functionally graded materials that have varying material properties in different regions, which conventional manufacturing often finds problematic.