4J36 invar alloy is widely applied in electronic component sealing, aerospace, precision measurement, marine transportation and other fields due to its low thermal expansion coefficient. As a novel processing technique, 3D printing enters the realm of 4J26 invar alloy component fabrication. Research achievements by domestic and international scholars on 3D-printed 4J36 invar alloy are comprehensively reviewed. Findings show that SLM molding technology emerges as the primary 3D printing technology for preparing 4J36 invar alloy. The material formed by this technique exhibits a thermal expansion coefficient comparable to traditionally manufactured materials, reaching 1.8×10^-6/K from 0 ℃ to 100 ℃. The density of the material can exceed 99.5%, with an ultimate tensile strength surpassing 450 MPa. Reported porosity of printing reaches 0.4%, necessitating further reduction. Overall, 3D-printed invar alloy components demonstrate potential for engineering applications. Additionally, considering the characteristics of cooled infrared detector components, it is pointed out that 3D-printed 4J36 invar alloy components hold significant promise for infrared applications.