A survey of the design methods for additive manufacturing to improve functional performance

Abstract Purpose This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the state-of–the-art design methods for additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to improve functional performance. Design/methodology/approach In this survey, design methods for AM to improve functional performance are divided into two main groups. They are design methods for a specific objective and general design methods. Design methods in the first group primarily focus on the improvement of functional performance, while the second group also takes other important factors such as manufacturability and cost into consideration with a more general framework. Design methods in each groups are carefully reviewed with discussion and comparison. Findings The advantages and disadvantages of different design methods for AM are discussed in this paper. Some general issues of existing methods are summarized below: most existing design methods only focus on a single design scale with a single function; few product-level design methods are available for both products' functionality and assembly; and some existing design methods are hard to implement for the lack of suitable computer-aided design software. Practical implications This study is a useful source for designers to select an appropriate design method to take full advantage of AM. Originality/value In this survey, a novel classification method is used to categorize existing design methods for AM. Based on this classification method, a comprehensive review is provided in this paper as an informative source for designers and researchers working in this field.