Additive manufacturing (AM), often referred to as 3D printing, has seen significant advances over the last few years. Through extensive research covering a wide range of industries from automotive and aerospace to healthcare, AM comes with the advantage of reduced manufacturing costs and ease of transition from design to real prototype. This review paper navigates the landscape of the AM process to highlight the latest findings in terms of process, materials, and applications by analyzing publications between 2022 and 2025. A particular focus is given to the integration of new materials including high-performance polymers and bio-based composites, types of printing materials that can enhance the performance and durability of 3D printing processes. In addition, the paper examines advances in printing technologies, including multi-material and large-format printing, as well as the integration of artificial intelligence for process optimization and quality control. Considering these advances, critical challenges such as the productivity, high cost, limited material options, and ethical concerns over intellectual property are also addressed. By synthesizing current trends and assessing future directions, while considering a critical view, this study aims to inform researchers and industry stockholders about the evolving additive manufacturing landscape and the opportunities and obstacles on the horizon.

The constant need to improve manufacturing processes and production methods, with the aim of making these processes more flexible and precise, and subsequently solving problems of conformity, quality of manufactured parts and productivity, drives manufacturers to develop original manufacturing techniques. The incremental sheet metal forming process, one of these novel techniques, has attracted a great deal of attention in recent decades. This paper presents a review of recent work done in this area and captures ideas for future work based on studies conducted by several researchers. A review of advanced investigations considering the following terms of interest: process, tools, formability, modeling and simulation is developed. Overall, it can be said that ISF process still requires further research to exploit the fabrication of new materials such as novel nanocomposites and Functionally graded materials (FGM). Test the performance of 4- and 5-axis CNC machines to manufacture industrial parts. Finally, apply new hybrid technics at the aim to improve the geometric accuracy, formability and the productivity of ISF process.

A numerical investigation of a phase change material (PCM) energy storage tank working with carbon nanotube (CNT)–water nanofluid is performed. The study was conducted under actual climatic conditions of the Ha’il region (Saudi Arabia). Two configurations related to the absence or presence of conductive baffles are studied. The tank is filled by encapsulated paraffin wax as the PCM, and CNT–water nanofluid flows through the capsules. The main goal is to increase the temperature of the PCM to 70 °C in order to store the thermal energy, which can then be used during the night and cloudy weather. Numerical computations are made using the finite element method (FEM) based on actual measured weather conditions. Climate conditions were collected from a weather station located on the roof of the engineering college’s building at the University of Ha’il. The collected data served as input to the numerical model, and the simulations were performed for three months (December, March, and July). The solid CNT volume fraction range was (0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.05) and the nanofluid volume flow rate ranged was (0.5 L/min ≤ V ≤ 3 L/min). For both considered cases (with and without baffles), it was found that the use of CNT–nanofluid led to a reduction in the charging time and enhanced its performance. An increase in the volumetric flow rate was found to accelerate the melting process. The best performances of the storage tank occurred during July due to the highest solar irradiation. Furthermore, it was found that the use of baffles had no beneficial effects on the melting process.