Fused-coating　based　additive　manufacturing　(FCAM)　is　a　novel　metal　solid　freeform　fabrication　technology　that　builds　metal　parts　by　selectively　deposition　the　material　layer　by　layer　from　the　CAD　model.　It　gives　an　alternative　to　build　metal　components　with　low　costs,　high　efficiency,　clean　and　cheap　materials　compared　with　other　AM　processes.　An　experimental　system　including　a　molten　metal　generator,　a　fused-coating　nozzle,　a　three-axis　motion　platform,　an　inert　atmosphere　protection　and　temperature　measurement　unit　and　the　controlling　hardware　and　software　has　been　established.　This　paper　presents　the　basic　principle　and　some　experimental　results　of　the　FCAM　process　as　well　as　its　potential　applications.　The　effects　of　different　processing　parameters　on　the　forming　layer　width　and　thickness　were　investigated.　The　process　parameters　include:　the　molten　metal　flow　rate,　the　substrate　moving　speed,　the　gas　pressure,　the　gap　between　nozzle　and　substrate,　the　nozzle　temperature,　the　substrate　temperature,　the　property　of　material　and　the　scanning　strategy.　The　optimal　parameters　were　chosen　to　fabricate　thin-wall　work　pieces　based　on　the　parameters　analysis　and　experiment.　This　paper　presents　the　basic　principle　and　some　experimental　results　of　the　FCAM　process　as　well　as　its　potential　applications.　Preliminary　experiments　prove　that　metal　components　can　be　built　with　high　efficiency　and　good　metallurgical　bonding.　(C)　2017　The　Society　of　Manufacturing　Engineers.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.