Research Teams and Laboratories

Survey Summary
Total Groups 42+
Countries 16
Updated December 2025
Source Hassan et al. (2024)

This article provides a comprehensive directory of research groups and laboratories working on AI-driven design optimization for additive manufacturing, organized by research impact and publication record. Groups are categorized into three tiers based on citation counts and contributions to the field.

3
Tier 1 (Pioneer)
15
Tier 2 (Major)
18
Tier 3 (Established)
200K+
Combined Citations
6
Research Networks
Cross-Reference: For detailed paper information, citations, and DOI links, see Design Optimization References. Papers marked with [ref#] correspond to citations in Hassan et al. (2024) review.
Contents
  1. Tier 1: Pioneer Groups
  2. Tier 2: Major Research Centers
  3. Tier 3: Established Groups
  4. Quick Reference Table
  5. Research Networks

Tier 1: Pioneer Groups

Landmark publications with 100+ citations. These groups have made foundational contributions to the field.

Smart Design Lab Tier 1
KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology)
South Korea

Principal Investigator

Prof. Namwoo Kang — Associate Professor, CCS Graduate School of Mobility — 1,802 citations

Key Publications

[153] Oh et al. (2019) — Deep Generative Design: Integration of TO and Generative Models (~263 citations)
Jang, Yoo & Kang (2022) — Generative Design by Reinforcement Learning (~61 citations)
VAE/GAN + Topology Optimization Reinforcement Learning Generative Design
Lab Website Google Scholar
Visual Design and Engineering Lab (VDEL) Tier 1
Carnegie Mellon University
USA

Principal Investigator

Prof. Levent Burak Kara — Professor, Mechanical Engineering & Robotics Institute — 3,808 citations

Key Publications

Banga et al. (2018) — 3D Topology Optimization using CNNs (~107 citations)
DL Review — Deep Learning in CAD/CAE
3D CNN for TO Neural Network TO Geometric Modeling
Lab Website Google Scholar
TopOpt Group Tier 1
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Denmark

Principal Investigator

Prof. Ole Sigmund — Villum Investigator, DTU Distinguished Professor — 67,362 citations

Key Publications

Woldseth et al. (2022) — On the Use of AI in Structural Topology Optimization (~115 citations)
SOgym — Open-source RL Environment for Structural Optimization
SIMP Method (foundational) SOgym RL Environment PhD Training Courses
TopOpt Website Google Scholar

Tier 2: Major Research Centers

Significant contributions with active research programs.

Integrated Design Automation Lab (IDEAL) Tier 2
Northwestern University
USA
Prof. Wei Chen — Wilson-Cook Chair Professor, NAE Member — 25,000+ citations
Digital Twin for AM Shape-Morphing Materials Metamaterial Design
IDEAL Lab
Paulino Research Group Tier 2
Princeton University
USA
Prof. Glaucio H. Paulino — Margareta E. Augustine Professor, NAE Member — 34,128 citations
Multi-material TO Origami/Kirigami Structures PolyMat Framework
Lab Website
VELTION Engineering Optimization Lab Tier 2
National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)
Greece
Prof. Nikos D. Lagaros — Vice Rector, NTUA; ADDOPTML Network Lead — 8,772 citations
MLGen Framework DLTOP ADDOPTML Network (EU)
ADDOPTML
Computational Design & Fabrication Group (CDFG) Tier 2
MIT CSAIL / Media Lab
USA
Prof. Wojciech Matusik — CDFG Founder — 22,000+ citations

Key Publications

3D-GAN (Wu et al. 2016) — Learning a Probabilistic Latent Space of Object Shapes (~3,000 citations)
3D-GAN Style2Fab (NLP+3D) Physics Simulation
CDFG
Gu Research Group Tier 2
UC Berkeley
USA
Prof. Grace X. Gu — Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering — 8,179 citations
AI-driven AM Metal-Ceramic Composites Bioinspired Design
Lab Website
Engineering Design & Computing Lab (EDAC) Tier 2
ETH Zurich
Switzerland
Prof. Kristina Shea — EDAC Director — 10,000+ citations
4D Printing Shape-Morphing Lattices Design Automation
EDAC Lab
Singapore Centre for 3D Printing (SC3DP) Tier 2
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Singapore
Prof. Chua Chee Kai — SC3DP Founding Director — 30,000+ citations

Key Publications

[154] Yao, Moon, Bi (2017) — Hybrid ML for AM Design Feature Recommendation
[155] Yao, Moon, Bi (2016) — Cost-Driven Design for AM Variable Platforms
NAMIC Partnership Design Feature Recommendation AI Defect Detection
SC3DP

Tier 3: Established Groups

Active research with growing publication records, including groups cited in the Hassan et al. (2024) review.

Group / Institution Key PI(s) Focus Areas Notable Work Location
Kumar & Chhabra Group
Maharshi Dayanand Univ.		 Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chhabra Orthotic TO, Sustainable AM [156] 42.6% weight reduction India
ANN for FEA Group Sorin Dumitru Grozav ANN, FEA, PLA prediction [139] 93% tensile strength accuracy Romania
ANFIS Composites Group Ahmed Fouly ANFIS, PLA-date pits [124] <0.2% prediction error Saudi Arabia
U-Net CNN for TO Jaydeep Rade et al. Pyramid U-Net, Multigrid TO [157][158] 99% material accuracy Various
Liu Research Group
Oklahoma State Univ.		 Prof. Chenang Liu DL Review, Layer-wise monitoring Comprehensive DL in AM Review USA
Yaji Lab
Osaka University		 Prof. Kentaro Yaji Data-Driven TO (DDTD) Multi-axis AM with curved layer Japan
Fraunhofer Network
20+ Institutes		 Multiple PIs futureAM Project 10x productivity increase Germany
Centre for Additive Manufacturing
RMIT University		 Multiple PIs Pix2Pix-GAN for TO Lattice Implants Australia
AM-CoE
IISc Bangalore		 Multiple PIs Electron Beam AM (SEBM) Next-gen SEBM development India
Centre of Excellence in AM
IIT Madras		 Prof. R. Jayaganthan ML Fatigue Prediction, LPBF Ti6Al4V fatigue prediction India

Quick Reference Table

All groups ranked by impact (PI citation count).

Rank Group Institution Key PI Citations Primary Method
1 TopOpt Group DTU O. Sigmund 67,362 SIMP, RL (SOgym)
2 Paulino Group Princeton G.H. Paulino 34,128 Multi-material TO
3 IDEAL Lab Northwestern W. Chen 25,000+ Digital Twin, Metamaterials
4 CDFG MIT W. Matusik 22,000+ 3D-GAN, Physics Sim
5 VELTION Lab NTUA N. Lagaros 8,772 MLGen, DLTOP
6 Gu Group UC Berkeley G. Gu 8,179 AI-driven AM
7 VDEL CMU L.B. Kara 3,808 3D CNN, Neural TO
8 Smart Design Lab KAIST N. Kang 1,802 VAE/GAN + TO, RL

Research Networks & Collaborations

ADDOPTML Network (EU)

Multi-disciplinary European network for ML-aided optimum design-manufacturing with AM. Partners from Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Netherlands, Spain. Led by NTUA (Lagaros).

NASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI)

$8M, 4-year project led by Penn State with Georgia Tech, Howard, UC San Diego, UT Austin, Purdue. Focus: AM + ML for hybrid-electric aircraft engines.

CMU-Army Research Lab Partnership

$3.5M cooperative agreement. Focus: ML-enabled additive manufacturing for defense.

NAMIC (Singapore)

National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster. Coordinated national strategy for AM technology transfer.

DTU TopOpt PhD Training

Biannual international PhD courses on topology optimization. Core training hub for the field.

See also

References