Structural Optimization Techniques in Additive Manufacturing
A special issue of Machines (ISSN 2075-1702). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Manufacturing".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026
Special Issue Editor
2. Laser Processing Unit, LUT University, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland
3. Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra, Benha University, Cairo 13518, Egypt
Interests: additive manufacturing (AM); laser powder bed fusion; metals; multi-material AM; structural optimization; lattice and metamaterial design; advanced alloys; hydrogen embrittlement in AM metals; mechanical behavior; computational design; biomedical applications
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Structural optimization plays a central role in modern mechanical design, enabling engineers to achieve lightweight, high-stiffness, and high-strength components while satisfying stringent performance and safety constraints. Advances in topology optimization, size and shape optimization, multi-scale design, and multi-physics simulation have significantly expanded the design space, allowing the development of efficient load-bearing structures, energy absorbers, and multifunctional components. These methods are increasingly being formulated with manufacturing constraints in mind, with additive manufacturing (AM) offering unprecedented freedom to actually realize such optimized designs.
In this context, AM has emerged as the ideal technological partner for structurally optimized components. By relaxing many geometric limitations of conventional processes, AM enables the fabrication of complex topologies, graded architectures, lattice and metamaterial structures, and multi-material systems that were previously only theoretical. However, fully exploiting this potential requires structural optimization strategies that explicitly consider AM-specific issues such as process constraints, anisotropy, defects, and residual stresses.
This Special Issue focuses on structural optimization techniques tailored for additive manufacturing. Topics include topology and lattice optimization for AM, architected metamaterials, process- and support-aware optimization, multi-physics and multi-scale design, computational–experimental validation, and application-driven case studies. The Special Issue fits squarely within the scope of Machines by linking mechanical design, structural analysis, materials engineering, and advanced manufacturing technologies for next-generation machine components.
Dr. Mahmoud Khedr
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- additive manufacturing (AM)
- structural optimization
- topology optimization
- lattice structures and metamaterials
- laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)
- computational design and simulation
- multi-material additive manufacturing
- lightweight structures
- mechanical performance optimization
- advanced manufacturing technologies
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