A Wire Laser DED aware process planning framework with topology optimisation enabled by dual-gate simulation

This paper presents a wire laser directed energy deposition (WL-DED) aware process planning framework integrating topology optimisation with manufacturability constraints via a dual-gate simulation. The design gate verifies structural performance, while the process gate evaluates thermo-mechanical printability. Human-in-the-loop geometric reconstruction embeds WL-DED rules on feature size, overhang angle, and bead continuity. Demonstrated on an industrial gear, the workflow delivers parts’ design with over 20% lower weight and stresses and thermal distortions below 2.6 mm. The framework minimizes design–print iterations and unifies the path from optimisation to deposition-ready geometry, advancing process planning for WL-DED manufactured metal components.