Topic Editors

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 6, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Dr. Soham Mujumdar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India

Surface Engineering and Micro Additive Manufacturing

Abstract submission deadline
30 November 2025
Manuscript submission deadline
28 February 2026
Viewed by
674

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Surface engineering plays a critical role in enhancing the functional properties and performance of materials across a wide array of applications, ranging from tribology and biomedical devices to microelectronics and photovoltaics. Similarly, advances in micro additive manufacturing technologies offer unparalleled precision in creating complex structures at micro- and nano-scales. The integration of these two fields holds great potential for developing next-generation functional surfaces and small-scale components with enhanced properties such as wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and tailored optical or thermal behaviour.

This call invites original research papers on the latest innovations, developments, and applications in surface engineering and micro additive manufacturing. Emphasis will be placed on both experimental and computational work that advances the understanding of surface modification processes, additive techniques, and the synergies between these areas.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Surface Functionalisation and Modification Techniques

  • Surface texturing, polishing, and patterning;
  • Coatings: PVD, CVD, thermal and cold spray, ion implantation, and cladding;
  • Surface heat treatments and chemical etching;
  • Advanced surface technologies for thermal protection, corrosion resistance, and decorative applications.

2. Micro Additive Manufacturing Technologies

  • Two-photon polymerisation, vat photopolymerisation (VPP), and material extrusion (MEX);
  • Powder bed fusion (PBF) and micro-directed energy deposition (DED);
  • Aerosol printing, direct ink writing (DIW), and material jetting;
  • Micro-scale laminated object manufacturing (LOM) and electron beam techniques.

3. Computational Modelling and Simulation

  • Process modelling and simulation for surface modification and micro additive manufacturing;
  • Multiphysics simulations, computational fluid dynamics, and thermal–mechanical modelling;
  • Optimization and prediction of surface properties and process outcomes.

4. Applications of Surface Engineering and Micro Additive Manufacturing

  • Tribological surfaces and coatings for wear-resistant applications;
  • Surfaces for microfluidic devices, sensors, actuators, and biomedical implants;
  • Functional coatings for photovoltaic devices, optics, and decorative surfaces;
  • Soft electronics, soft actuators, and thermal protection systems;
  • Embedded sensors for soft robotics, structural health monitoring, and clothing.

Dr. Joško Valentinčič
Dr. Avik Samanta
Dr. Soham Mujumdar
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • surface functionalisation
  • surface texturing
  • functional coatings
  • two-photon polymerisation
  • vat photopolymerisation (VPP)
  • material extrusion (MEX)
  • powder bed fusion (PBF)
  • micro-directed energy deposition (DED)
  • aerosol printing
  • direct ink writing (DIW)
  • material jetting (MJT)
  • microscale laminated object manufacturing (LOM)
  • process modelling
  • multiphysics simulations
  • tribology

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Coatings
coatings
2.9 5.0 2011 14.5 Days CHF 2600 Submit
Eng
eng
- 2.1 2020 21.5 Days CHF 1200 Submit
Micro
micro
- - 2021 24.5 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Micromachines
micromachines
3.0 5.2 2010 16.2 Days CHF 2100 Submit
Lubricants
lubricants
3.1 3.6 2013 14.6 Days CHF 2600 Submit

Preprints.org is a multidiscipline platform providing preprint service that is dedicated to sharing your research from the start and empowering your research journey.

MDPI Topics is cooperating with Preprints.org and has built a direct connection between MDPI journals and Preprints.org. Authors are encouraged to enjoy the benefits by posting a preprint at Preprints.org prior to publication:

  1. Immediately share your ideas ahead of publication and establish your research priority;
  2. Protect your idea from being stolen with this time-stamped preprint article;
  3. Enhance the exposure and impact of your research;
  4. Receive feedback from your peers in advance;
  5. Have it indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Journals
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
11 pages, 4230 KiB  
Article
Achieving Transparency and Minimizing Losses of Rough Additively Manufactured Optical Components by a Dip-Coating Surface Finish
by Abhijeet Shrotri, Sascha Preu and Oliver Stübbe
Coatings 2025, 15(2), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15020210 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 323
Abstract
Additive manufacturing of optical, electrical, and mechanical components is a beneficial approach for the rapid prototyping of components and error elimination, with short turnaround times. However, additively manufactured components usually have rough surfaces that need post-processing, particularly for optical components, where the surface [...] Read more.
Additive manufacturing of optical, electrical, and mechanical components is a beneficial approach for the rapid prototyping of components and error elimination, with short turnaround times. However, additively manufactured components usually have rough surfaces that need post-processing, particularly for optical components, where the surface roughness must be a small fraction of the wavelength. We demonstrate an innovative and economical approach by dip-coating with the same resin used for printing in a simple post-processing step, providing high transparency to the 3D-printed optical components and reducing surface roughness while achieving perfect index matching of the coating layer. The surface roughness of the 3D-printed optical components drops to 5 nm (arithmetic average) after the dip-coating process. We observed significant performance enhancements after comparing the unprocessed optical components and the dip-coated optical components, including optical transparency and a shiny surface finish for previously rough surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Surface Engineering and Micro Additive Manufacturing)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop