Progress in Additive Manufacturing: Design, Fabrication and Post Processing

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that enables the creation of functional parts with design freedom, making it a popular choice in various industrial sectors. Recent advancements in AM techniques have opened up many opportunities in terms of reducing materials used and fabrication costs. This is thanks to a reduced number of elements in industrial devices. AM techniques also enable the relatively easy production of complex geometries such as cellular solids, metamaterials, and biomimetic materials, many of which were once difficult to manufacture using conventional techniques. These objects can be fabricated from various metals and polymers using computer-aided design (CAD) models.

This Special Issue welcomes submissions on the additive manufacturing of elements with predicted microstructure and mechanical properties, the use of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), numerical algorithms, and µ-CT imagining for quality control.

Despite the possibility of fabricating objects of any shape in one production step, AM manufacturing has some disadvantages. One of these is the requirement to generate support structures for the parts fabricated by various processes. Such support should dissipate the heat generated during the 3D printing process, minimize geometrical distortions induced by internal stresses, and support overhang structures. This Special Issue will cover computer simulations and improved fabrication protocols that address these issues.

During powder-in-bed AM processes, not all powder particles are melted, and therefore the removal of any unmelted particles needs to be performed with mechanical or chemical post-processing methods. This Special Issue is dedicated to various areas of research relevant to AM, including both polymer and metal. Processing parameters and post-processing methods (not limited to annealing and chemical modifications) are of special interest. We also welcome submissions improving the design of materials via various AM techniques and modifications to commercial machines.

Dr. Bartłomiej Wysocki
Prof. Dr. Anton Du Plessis
Dr. David Dean
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• additive manufacturing (AM) / 3D printing
• process optimization
• design approaches and process simulations
• standardization and quality control
• am post-processing
• numerical algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning
• new materials, processes and systems