Symmetry and Asymmetry in Additive Manufacturing
A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Engineering and Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 9
Special Issue Editors
Interests: additive manufacturing (AM); voice/gesture control of manufacturing systems
Interests: additive manufacturing; powder metallurgy
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In additive manufacturing (AM), symmetry and asymmetry are integral from geometric, material, functional, and process standpoints. Understanding and controlling these phenomena are crucial to maximizing the potential of this technology. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers to share their latest advances in AM and their correlation with symmetry and asymmetry, from their theoretical and mathematical foundations to their design, processes, materials, simulation, experimental validation, and industrial applications.
Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Symmetry group-based design of self-supporting AM structures;
- Topology optimization with symmetry/asymmetry constraints;
- Mechanical anisotropy and crystalline symmetry breaking in metal AM;
- Rotational symmetries in multi-axis printing (robot kinematics);
- Controlled thermal asymmetries for 4D printing;
- Symmetry in lightweight structures;
- Rotationally and/or symmetrical lattices;
- Functionally graded materials: symmetry-to-asymmetry transitions;
- Mechanical properties induced by symmetric/asymmetric deposition patterns;
- Thermal symmetry breaking and deformations in AM;
- Slicing algorithms exploiting symmetry patterns;
- Bioprinting scaffolds with asymmetric porosity gradients;
- Asymmetric surface treatments (e.g., functional coatings) on 3D-printed parts;
- AI-based generative design to optimize symmetry/asymmetry patterns in AM structures.
We invite researchers to submit original research articles, reviews, and short communications related to the topics above. All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, and accepted papers will be published in this Special Issue of Symmetry.
Dr. Angel-Iván Garcia-Moreno
Dr. Enrique Martínez Franco
Guest Editors
Dr. Aldo Augusto López-Martínez
Guest Editor Assistant
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Symmetry 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
- process-induced asymmetry
- design symmetry constraints
- functionally graded symmetry
- generative design
- topology optimization
- lattice and support structures
- anisotropy mitigation
- reinforcement gradients
- slicing algorithms
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