Integrated Process Chains for Sustainable and Functional Additive Manufacturing

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing is no longer only expected to deliver geometric complexity. It is now used to create parts with tailored mechanical, surface, thermal, electrical, and biomedical functionality. At the same time, growing industrial and societal demands require manufacturing routes that are not only high-performing, but also resource-efficient, energy-aware, and environmentally responsible. Achieving such outcomes requires more than progress in a single processing step. It depends on the effective integration of design, material selection, process planning, printing strategy, post-processing, surface engineering, functional validation, and sustainability considerations across the full process chain.

This Special Issue focuses on integrated process-chain approaches for sustainable and functional additive manufacturing. It aims to bring together contributions that demonstrate how decisions made across multiple stages of the additive manufacturing workflow can be integrated to improve part functionality, reliability, resource efficiency, and application readiness. Particular interest will be given to studies that explicitly link process stages and clarify their effect on final performance and sustainability outcomes.

Original research articles and review papers are welcome. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Design for function and sustainability in additive manufacturing;
• Process–structure–property–function relationships;
• Multi-material and functionally graded additive manufacturing;
• In situ monitoring and control for function-oriented manufacturing;
• Post-processing and surface engineering for enhanced functionality;
• Energy-efficient and material-efficient additive manufacturing workflows;
• Circularity, waste reduction, and sustainable feedstock strategies;
• Integrated digital workflows for additive manufacturing process chains;
• Functional validation and application-driven case studies.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Ahmed Elkaseer
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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