A dual DfAM worksheet to assess design opportunities and restrictions in additive manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) design projects often fail when feasibility and practicality are unclear during product development. To address this, we developed a dual design for additive manufacturing (dual DfAM) worksheet to support users with novice to intermediate DfAM competence. The worksheet incorporates restrictive and opportunistic criteria and calculates a feasibility and practicality index for quick evaluations. Verified through a workshop with 73 engineering students, all participants found the worksheet helpful, and 71 expressed willingness to reuse it in future design projects. Furthermore, we found indications that repeated use of the worksheet could enhance dual DfAM competence, as designs became more feasible and practical. These results highlight the worksheet’s potential as a structured tool for improving dual DfAM assessment and decision-making in product development.