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Open research questions in Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes

566 gap statements mined from Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 7,000 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • Future research should focus on developing fully integrated multi-scale frameworks where information can be continuously exchanged between different length and time scales. Future research should focus on developing adaptive multi-scale models where the required level of simulation detail changes according to process requirements.

    Multi-scale modeling approaches in wire arc additive manufacturing: from melt pool dynamics to residual stress prediction · 2026 · DOI

  • Architecture-Driven Physics-Informed Deep Learning for Temperature Prediction in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing with Limited Data. As a result, conventional mechanics-based models, while essential for developing physical insight, are insufficient when used in isolation, as they struggle to represent spatial variability, interacting defects, and uncertainty across multiple length and time scales.

    From Mechanics to Machine Learning in Additive Manufacturing: A Review of Deformation, Fatigue, and Fracture · 2026 · DOI

  • Therefore, future investigations should focus on deriving an experimentally validated setpoint or determining an appropriate setpoint based on process-quality requirements. Although this study demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed DB-PFPC in regulating melt pool temperature, several aspects remain to be explored in the future.

    Design of an intralayer data-based controller for laser powder bed fusion processing · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research efforts will be dedicated to the implementation of these methods for quantitative assessment using real-world examples. In general, the integration of advanced technologies, such as digital twins, is essential to optimise the manufacturing processes and ensure high-quality results.

    Reducing Delivery Times by Utilising On-Site Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing with Digital-Twin Methods · 2025 · DOI

  • The provision of comprehensive SLM processing parameters enhances the repeatability of the current technology; nevertheless, further research is necessary to establish a direct correlation between these factors and oxide production, failure modes, and long-term interfacial stability.

    Evaluation of Flexural Resistance in Co-Cr Ceramic Systems: Conventional Casting Versus 3D Printing—A Pilot Study · 2025 · DOI

  • This paper aimed to address the literature gap in exploring the influence of the arc voltage, wire feed rate and strain rate on the mechanical properties of GMAW WAAM stainless-streel structures for industrial applications.

    Structural Integrity Assessment of Stainless Steel Fabricated by GMAW-Assisted Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing · 2025 · DOI

  • Maintaining print quality remains a challenge due to the high sensitivity of the process to fluctuations in thermal and mechanical conditions.

    Enhancing Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing for Maritime Applications: Overcoming Operational Challenges in Marine and Offshore Environments · 2025 · DOI

  • The digital twin architecture of the finish rolling shape model is presented, and the shape simulation of the finish rolling process is realized, which makes up for the lack of production strategy evaluation.

    Modeling and Simulation of Shape Control Based on Digital Twin Technology in Hot Strip Rolling · 2024 · DOI

  • Future research should explore the development of ML-based approaches for predicting optimal process parameters and adjusting process variables in real-time to improve deposition quality and efficiency. Moreover, limited studies are available addressing the specific geometrical challenges associated with fabricating complex geometries such as parts with inclined surfaces.

    A Review on Wire-Laser Directed Energy Deposition: Parameter Control, Process Stability, and Future Research Paths · 2024 · DOI

  • In practice, mode pair splitting caused by geometric imperfection can be misinterpreted as two separate mode families if the circumferential measurement resolution is insufficient.

    Modal Analysis of an Additively Manufactured AlSi10Mg Thick-Walled Cylinder: Finite Element Simulation, Experimental Validation, and Non-Conservative Damping Characterization · 2026 · DOI

  • Future investigations will focus on optimizing capsule designs for complex geometries and larger component dimensions, as well as systematically evaluating the mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of the fabricated bimetallic joints.

    Phase Evolution and Diffusion Behavior of PM-HIP-Processed Ni-Mo Bimetallic Cladding · 2026 · DOI

  • Solution treatments of 1120 °C/1 h and 1150 °C/10 min are insufficient to significantly change the original microstructure.

    Static Recrystallization Kinetics of Hastelloy X Superalloy Prepared via Laser Powder bed Fusion · 2026 · DOI

  • A limitation of the present study is that neither non-destructive characterization of internal defects nor residual-stress measurements were performed.

    High-Temperature Tensile Behavior of Wrought and SLM-Fabricated Inconel 718: Effects of Build Orientation and Finite Element Modeling · 2026 · DOI

  • Fatigue behavior was not investigated, and no representative aerospace component was manufactured and subjected to component-level mechanical or environmental qualification.

    Procedure for Commissioning a Metallic Powder Bed Fusion Printing Technology for the Fabrication of a Light Aerospace Mechanical Assembly · 2026 · DOI

  • Nevertheless, the present model has not been validated using independent sample batches.

    Research on Quality Inspection of PBF-LB 022Cr17Ni12Mo2 Steel Using Laser Ultrasonic Testing Technology · 2026 · DOI

  • The results demonstrate that VED alone is insufficient for predicting densification because different parameter combinations with similar VED values produced distinct density levels and defect morphologies.

    Process parameter interactions and volumetric energy density Non-Uniqueness in LPBF-Processed CuCrZr alloy: Effects on defect evolution and densification · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the underlying mechanisms governing the spatiotemporal variations of these internal voids remain unclear.

    Formation mechanisms and mitigation strategies of internal void defects during laser powder bed fusion of thin walls · 2025 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the lack of comprehensive strategies that integrate mechanical and biological properties. The paper highlights the need for a comprehensive review of strategies to enhance biocompatibility of metals manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques.

    Strategies to enhance Biocompatibility via additive manufacturing for medical applications: A state-of-the-art review · 2026 · DOI

  • The findings from this research may enhance the mechanical properties of the DED-Arc 316L component. The key conclusions drawn from the study are summarized as follows: (1) The current findings emphasize that employing FSB tools made of Al and Cu in a simultaneous processing approach effectively mitigates the issue of coarse columnar dendrites commonly observed in the DED-Arc process.

    Comparison of Aluminum Alloy and Copper Friction Stir Burnishing Tools Combined with Direct Energy Deposition Arc Process on Microstructure and Microhardness of 316L Stainless Steel · 2025 · DOI

  • Although machining and polishing reduce surface roughness, they are costly, time-consuming, and limited to accessible areas.

    Rapid fatigue testing to evaluate the competing effect of defects on the fatigue mechanism of powder bed fusion 316L specimens · 2026 · DOI

  • The study uses a simulated microstructure dataset, which may not accurately represent real-world microstructures. The model is trained on a limited dataset of 405 images. The study does not investigate the effect of other process parameters on microstructure evolution.

    Process-structure linkage for laser powder bed fusion using simulated microstructure images and deep learning · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the effect of other process parameters on spatter, - Studying the relationship between spatter and part defects, - Examining the differences between GA and PA powders in more…

    Understanding Spatter and Its Spatial Variations in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Ti6Al4V · 2026 · DOI

  • Availability bias due to the lack of methodological consistency and the dispersion in the indexing of works, - Lax inclusion bias caused by the need to alleviate the apparent lack of works, - Selection bias due to the ease of accessing works known or developed by similar authors, - The process of research consolidation is not as rapid as might be…

    Emerging Trends in Hybrid Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing · 2025 · DOI

  • Research with new materials, distinguishing the most common ones, which are those related to nickel and titanium superalloys, - Development of hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing in the aerospace field, - Study of the mechanical properties of parts produced by hybrid additive and subtractive…

    Emerging Trends in Hybrid Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing · 2025 · DOI

  • Investigating the effect of other process parameters on microstructure evolution. Developing more comprehensive numerical models for simulating microstructure evolution. Applying the study's findings to the development of new metal additive manufacturing technologies.

    Process-structure linkage for laser powder bed fusion using simulated microstructure images and deep learning · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) Future research should focus on developing fully integrated multi-scale frameworks where information can be continuously exchanged between different length and time scales (“Multi-scale modeling approaches in wire arc additive manufacturing: from melt…”, 2026); (2) Future investigations should focus on deriving an experimentally validated setpoint or determining an appropriate setpoint based on process-quality requirements (“Design of an intralayer data-based controller for laser powder bed fusion…”, 2026); (3) The paper identifies a gap in the lack of comprehensive strategies that integrate mechanical and biological properties (“Strategies to enhance Biocompatibility via additive manufacturing for medical…”, 2026); (4) The underlying mechanisms governing the spatiotemporal variations of these internal voids remain unclear (“Formation mechanisms and mitigation strategies of internal void defects during…”, 2025); (5) The digital twin architecture of the finish rolling shape model is presented, and the shape simulation of the finish rolling process is realized, which makes up for the lack of production strategy evaluation (“Modeling and Simulation of Shape Control Based on Digital Twin Technology in…”, 2024). 566 gap statements have been mined from Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 7,000 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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