Introduction/Purpose Additive manufacturing in metal is developed rapidly, with regard to both equipment and materials. A recurring question from the industry in particular is how the development has been in a historical perspective and what one can expect from the future. This study aims to make a historical overview, from the early 2000s to today, of the surface roughness of materials manufactured using the powder bed fusion technology Electron Beam Melting (EBM). Methods Surfaces of specimens manufactured in tool steel (H13) and titanium alloys (Ti6Al4V) will be characterized using different methods such as focusvariation technology and scanning electron microscopy. Results The surface roughness is presented and shows the historical development of different materials, and different EBM-systems. Conclusions Being in the middle of a constantly evolving technology as AM in metal, it can be hard to predict future developments and this study shows there has been a great improvement in surface finishes from the early 2000s to the present. These results might add some information for discussions on future developments and directions concerning the area of surface smoothness and EBM.