Application-Driven Development of Metal Additive Manufacturing: From Laboratory Research Towards Industrial Adoption

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to original scientific contributions that advance the application of additive manufacturing (AM) for metals and metal matrix composites (MMCs) in industrial contexts. The potential of AM to revolutionize component design, enable unique functionalities, and significantly reduce production steps, labor hours, and overall costs has stimulated growing interest in this field. These advantages have not only transformed manufacturing strategies but also driven the rapid development of research topics and the increased publication of scientific studies related to metal-based AM technologies.

Although additive manufacturing has not yet achieved the processing speeds needed to compete with traditional subtractive techniques commonly used in industry, it offers significant potential for rapid prototyping in engineering applications. More importantly, AM provides unique advantages in manufacturing components that are challenging or even impossible to produce with conventional methods. These include creating parts with highly complex geometries and sub-millimeter details, eliminating assembly by enabling the creation of entire structures as a single piece, and developing designs optimized through advanced topology algorithms and validated with finite element simulations. Additionally, AM allows for the production of components with graded compositions and multi-material architectures. These capabilities enable the manufacturing of metallic or composite parts with distinct layers, resulting in tailored mechanical properties that meet specific performance needs.

One of the key advantages of additive manufacturing lies in the capability for in situ synthesis of alloys and metal matrix composites. Through the simultaneous use of metal–metal or metal–ceramic powder mixtures in directed energy deposition processes or powder bed fusion, it is possible to fabricate novel materials with mechanical properties that surpass those of their monolithic counterparts. The ability to tailor material composition during the deposition process opens pathways to enhanced strength, wear resistance and other functional characteristics. In this context, detailed microstructural analysis of synthesized alloys and MMC, along with investigation of their correlation with mechanical performance, represents a critical area of research. These topics form a central focus of this Special Issue.

Another main focus of this Special Issue is the post-processing of 3D additively manufactured components. Contributions addressing the enhancement of surface quality through various techniques are particularly encouraged. In addition, studies on surface treatments and coatings applied to 3D-printed parts and their corresponding effects on mechanical performance, wear resistance, and functional longevity represent key areas of interest. These developments are critical for advancing the industrial adoption of additive manufacturing technologies, where surface integrity plays a vital role in the reliability and application of printed components.

This Special Issue is also dedicated to advancements in additive manufacturing techniques and technological solutions aimed at improving processing resolution, build size, and overall process efficiency. Topics such as powder recycling efficiency and in situ monitoring of additive manufacturing processes are especially relevant, reflecting current research priorities in the field. These areas are essential for enhancing the sustainability, scalability and reliability of AM and are therefore of great interest to Metals and its readership.

Finally, case studies and reports showcasing real-world applications in which additively manufactured metal and MMC parts successfully address specific technological challenges are strongly encouraged. Such contributions will serve to advocate for the broader implementation of additive manufacturing in industry, particularly in scenarios where conventional metal fabrication techniques face boundaries caused by current technological limitations.

Dr. Andrei C. Popescu
Guest Editor

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• powder bed fusion
• directed energy deposition
• laser cladding
• enhanced topology
• process monitoring
• post processing solutions
• surface enhancement
• in situ synthesis
• metal matrix composites
• powder recycling