Article

Design for Additive Manufacturing: A Review of Design Principles, Methodologies and Future Perspectives

Department of Engineering, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, NM, USA

https://doi.org/10.58531/ijest/4/3/2

Received: 1 September 2026 / Accepted: 25 September 2026 / Published: 29 September 2026

Additive manufacturing (AM) has evolved from a rapid prototyping technology into an advanced design and manufacturing approach that enables new possibilities in engineering product development. Unlike conventional manufacturing methods, AM provides unprecedented design freedom by allowing the fabrication of complex geometries, lightweight structures, customized products, and functionally integrated components. This transformation has promoted the emergence of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), which focuses on exploiting the unique capabilities of AM during the early stages of product design. This review summarizes the evolution, principles, optimization strategies, and applications of AM-driven design. First, the development of DfAM and its transition from manufacturing-oriented design toward performance-driven design are discussed. Subsequently, key design strategies enabled by AM, including topology optimization, generative design, lattice structures, and multi-objective optimization, are reviewed. The applications of AM-driven design in aerospace, biomedical, automotive, consumer products, and architecture are further analyzed. Finally, current challenges related to design standardization, digital integration, intelligent design, and sustainability are discussed, together with future perspectives on AI-assisted design and digital manufacturing. This review highlights that the future development of additive manufacturing depends not only on improving fabrication capabilities but also on advancing design methodologies. The integration of computational design, artificial intelligence, and sustainable principles is expected to accelerate the transition toward intelligent, customized, and innovation-driven product development.

additive manufacturing; design for additive manufacturing; generative design; topology optimization; lattice structures; intelligent design

Anderson M.J. Design for Additive Manufacturing: A Review of Design Principles, Methodologies and Future Perspectives. Int. J. Eng. Sci. Technol., 2026, 4(3), doi: 10.58531/ijest/4/3/2

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