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The revolution of additive manufacturing (AM) has led to many opportunities in fabricating complex and novel products. The increase of printable materials and the emergence of novel fabrication processes continuously expand the possibility of engineering systems in which product components are no longer limited to be single material, single scale, or single function. In fact, a paradigm shift is taking place in industry from geometry-centered usage to supporting functional demands. Consequently, engineers are expected to resolve a wide range of complex and difficult problems related to functional design. Although a higher degree of design freedom beyond geometry has been enabled by AM, there are only very few computational design approaches in this new AM-enabled domain to design objects with tailored properties and functions. The objectives of this review paper are to provide an overview of recent additive manufacturing developments and current computer-aided design methodologies that can be applied to multimaterial, multiscale, multiform, and multifunctional AM technologies. The difficulties encountered in the computational design approaches are summarized and the future development needs are emphasized. In the paper, some present applications and future trends related to additive manufacturing technologies are also discussed.
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Advances and Challenges in Predictive Modeling for Additive Manufacturing of Dissimilar Metals and Complex Alloys
We present a scrutiny on the state of the art and applicability of predictive methods for additive manufacturing (AM) of metals, alloys, and compositionally complex metallic materials, to provide insights from the computational models for AM process optimization. Our work emphasizes the importance of manufacturing parameters on the thermal profiles evinced during processing, and the fundamental insights offered by the models used to simulate metal AM mechanisms. We discuss the methods and assumptions necessary for an educated tradeoff between the efficacy and accuracy of the computational approaches that incorporate multi-physics required to mimic the associated fluid flow phenomena as well as the resulting microstructures. Finally, the current challenges in the existing approaches are summarized and future scopes identified.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1944040
- PAR ID:
- 10495582
- Publisher / Repository:
- MDPI
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Materials
- Volume:
- 16
- Issue:
- 16
- ISSN:
- 1996-1944
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 5680
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract This review highlights recent progress in additive manufacturing (AM) techniques for polymer composites reinforced with nanoparticles, short fibers, and continuous fibers. It also explores the integration of functional resins and fibers to enable advanced capabilities such as shape morphing, enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity, and self-healing behavior. Building on these advances, the review examines computational design strategies that optimize material distribution and fiber orientation. Representative approaches range from density-based methods to emerging level-set topology optimization frameworks, with objectives evolving from improving mechanical performance to addressing complex multi-physics functional requirements. The review also identifies emerging opportunities, including the need for technological innovations to further improve mechanical properties and enable adaptable multifunctionality. Further advances in theoretical modeling and integrated design-printing workflows are also discussed. By synthesizing these developments, this review aims to foster interdisciplinary collaborations and accelerate innovation in AM-enabled composite materials across a wide range of applications.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165680
