Additive manufacturing technology is a kind of net forming technology that produces complex 3D parts by adding materials from point to point， line to line and surface to surface. 3D printing is a kind of mature technology that can manufacture all kinds of products with dense microstructure and stable performance. Recent years， researchers adapt additive manufacturing technology to smart materials， which enables the expansion of the technology from spatial dimension to time-space dimension. In this paper， the research status and development prospect of 3D printing and 4D printing is introduced in detail in order to provide reference for staffs engaged in this field.