Performance‐Driven Design Strategies for Flexible Pressure Sensors: A Comparative Guide to Conventional Fabrication and Additive Manufacturing

Flexible pressure sensors are foundational to soft robotics, wearable electronics, and human‐machine interfaces, yet their performance is critically dictated by the fabrication paradigm. While conventional fabrication offers high resolution and proven reliability, it is constrained by limited design freedom and complex processes; conversely, additive manufacturing (AM) provides unparalleled design flexibility but faces challenges in resolution and material maturity. A direct comparative analysis linking fabrication strategies to key sensing performance—sensitivity, response time, and pressure range—has been largely absent, creating a knowledge gap for researchers. To address this gap, this review provides a systematic, performance‐driven comparison between these two manufacturing paradigms for piezoresistive and capacitive pressure sensors. First, we identify specific structural and material requirements imposed by sensing mechanisms to establish manufacturing criteria. We then analyze how design strategies, like engineering hierarchical structures, are enabled or limited by each approach. By establishing a quantitative mapping between manufacturing capabilities (e.g., resolution vs. volumetric control) and sensor figures‐of‐merit, we provide a methodical comparative process‐selection framework for optimizing sensitivity and dynamic range. This framework equips researchers with strategic insights to navigate trade‐offs between conventional and AM techniques, accelerating the development of high‐performance flexible pressure sensors.