Results and publications

Paving the Way for Reliable DED-Arc Components: New Review Published

What do we actually know about the fatigue performance of DED-Arc components, and what pieces of the puzzle are still missing? A comprehensive review published in the International Journal of Fatigue tackles this question head-on.

Authored by FatDED project team members Markus Köhler (TU Chemnitz), Abinab Niraula, Pauli Lehto, Heikki Remes, Gary B. Marquis (all Aalto University), and Jonas Hensel (TU Chemnitz), the paper provides a critical analysis of current research surrounding the high-cycle fatigue behavior of DED-Arc steels and aluminum alloys.

While the study highlights the strong potential of DED-Arc technology for demanding structural applications, it also pinpoints key challenges that must be addressed. These include reliably linking manufacturing processes, material properties, and surface geometry to fatigue performance, making results from disparate studies directly comparable, and translating this data into practical design rules that engineers can apply on the shop floor.

These exact objectives drive the collaborative work within the FatDED project—ranging from advanced surface characterization to harmonized testing and predictive design rules. Over the coming weeks, we will take a closer look at these core areas and outline how the project partners are working together to move from fundamental fatigue understanding toward reliable industrial application.

Read the full open-access study:

Köhler, M., Niraula, A., Lehto, P., Remes, H., Marquis, G. B., & Hensel, J. (2026). High-cycle fatigue of DED-Arc manufactured steel and aluminium materials: current data and future directions. International Journal of Fatigue, 213, 109857.