Layer-wise production, the core principle of additive manufacturing eventually enabling unprecedented freedom of design, is the major factor promoting the utilization of this technology in many industrial branches. Nowadays, not only high-tech industries such as medical and aerospace engineering exploit the potentials of additive manufacturing, also commercial applications in mass production rely on the technology, e. g. in advanced tooling design and repair. Limiting factors of traditional, primarily subtractive, manufacturing processes can be overcome and aspects such as customization and smart solutions, following design for function principles, come into focus. Still, not every application benefitting from additive manufacturing is identified in everydays business, and especially in small to medium enterprises roadblocks prevail due to manufacturing- and material-related challenges. To further widen the field of applications, the “5th Symposium on Materials and Additive Manufacturing – Additive 2026” will address most recent topics in the field of metallic “3D-printing”, from basic research to practical application. Among others, the following focal points are discussed:

• Alloy design for additive manufacturing
• Beam shaping and other process developments
• Fatigue properties and advanced characterization techniques
• Graded properties and multi-material methods
• Post treatments and their impact on microstructure and defects
• Powder development for additive manufacturing
• Quality assurance and reproducibility in additive manufacturing
• Refurbishment, repair and recycling through additive manufacturing
• Simulation-based development of additive processes and materials
• Sustainability of products manufactured by additive manufacturing