Additive Manufacturing Fatigue Behavior and Mechanical Properties

Additive Manufacturing (AM) encompasses a suite of layer-by-layer fabrication methods—such as powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition and binder jetting—that permit the production of complex geometries with minimal material waste. Fatigue behaviour in AM components is governed by an interplay of process-induced features: residual stresses from rapid thermal cycles, subsurface and surface porosity, microstructural heterogeneity and surface roughness. These factors dictate crack initiation sites and govern crack propagation rates under cyclic loading. AM parts often exhibit anisotropic mechanical properties, with build orientation and thermal history driving variations in tensile strength, hardness and fracture toughness. Post-processing strategies—including heat treatment, hot isostatic pressing and surface peening—are routinely applied to relieve residual stresses, close pores and refine grain structure, thereby improving fatigue strength and extending service life. More recently, hybrid AM approaches that integrate external energy fields or interlayer mechanical deformation have demonstrated in situ control of microstructure and stress accumulation. Such advances are critical to the deployment of AM components in safety-critical sectors—particularly aerospace, biomedical implants and automotive applications—where reliable performance under cyclic loading is essential. A comprehensive understanding of the relationships between process parameters, defect structure and mechanical response is key to standardising qualification pathways and unlocking the full potential of AM technologies.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Additive Manufacturing Fatigue Behavior and Mechanical Properties publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in additive manufacturing fatigue behavior and mechanical properties across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Powder Bed Fusion: An AM process that selectively melts or sinters powder layers using a thermal energy source, typically a laser or electron beam.

Fatigue Strength: The maximum cyclic stress a material can endure for a specified number of cycles without failure.

Residual Stress: Locked‐in stresses within a component arising from non-uniform thermal expansion and contraction during AM.

Porosity: Internal voids or pores in AM parts that act as stress concentrators and crack initiation sites under cyclic loading.

Anisotropy: Directional dependence of mechanical properties in AM components resulting from layer-wise build orientation and thermal gradients.

References

1. Effects of build orientation and inclined features on physical, microstructural and mechanical properties of powder bed fusion additively manufactured metallic parts. Progress in Materials Science (2025).
2. Performance-control-orientated hybrid metal additive manufacturing technologies: state of the art, challenges, and future trends. International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (2024).
3. A review on the fatigue behaviour of AlSi10Mg alloy fabricated using laser powder bed fusion technique. Journal of Materials Research and Technology (2022).