An iterative approach to individualized additive manufacturing for defence applications

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) enables geometric variability and user-specific adaptation; however, established Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) methodologies predominantly address component optimisation under predefined boundary conditions and offer limited explicit formalisation on how anthropometric variability, manufacturing constraints, and performance verification can be systematically consolidated within a single development architecture. This study demonstrates an iterative DfAM implementation that integrates user-derived anthropometric data, additive design strategy selection, constraint management, and requirement-driven evaluation within a defence-relevant subsystem. Using an individualised combat-helmet liner as demonstrator, three structured development iterations progressively verified geometric conformity, manufacturability, and mechanical behaviour under defined operational conditions. The results illustrate how requirement-oriented iteration, supported by explicit linkage between prioritised requirements and validation activities, enables staged reduction of geometric, manufacturing, and functional uncertainty while preserving subsystem level compliance with regulatory and system level constraints. The presented approach provides a structured implementation logic for developing individualised AM products in performance-critical defence applications.