Recent progress in additive manufacturing of 7XXX aluminum alloys

Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a transformative technology for fabricating intricately tailored components, representing a paradigm shift in design versatility and material optimization. The fabrication of high-strength Al7XXX series alloys through this approach is attracting increasing interest due to their lightweight nature, exceptional mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance, making them essential for aerospace, automotive, and defense applications. Despite these advantages, manufacturing these alloys through AM remains challenging due to issues such as hot cracking, porosity, elemental evaporation, adhesion and bonding defects, and microstructural anisotropy. Recent studies have explored strategies to address these challenges, demonstrating successful fabrication and evaluating potential applications in advanced engineering. This review aims to report the current state of manufacturing techniques, categorizing them into solid-state and melting-based approaches while analyzing their processing mechanisms, challenges, and mechanical performance. Strategies for defect mitigation, including process optimization, post-processing treatments such as heat treatment and grain refinement, and novel alloy modifications, are critically reviewed. By consolidating recent advancements and identifying key challenges, this study establishes a foundation for future research, emphasizing defect control, microstructural stability, and industrial scalability for high-performance applications.