From Manufacturing Processes to Material States: A Causal Process Chain Perspective for Hybrid Manufacturing

Balraj Avinash Waghmare1, Avinash Vishwanath Waghmare2

1Systems Engineer, BALBIRD INDUSTRIES, Pune
2Associate Professor, AISSMS COE, Pune

Abstract - Hybrid manufacturing routes that combine additive and subsequent finishing processes have become increasingly important for producing high-performance metallic components with application-specific properties. While individual manufacturing operations have been extensively investigated, engineering performance is ultimately governed by the cumulative interactions that develop throughout the entire process chain. These interactions progressively alter the local material condition, influencing structural characteristics, near-surface integrity, and the resulting functional behavior. Despite significant advances in experimental characterization, the scientific understanding generated across successive manufacturing stages remains fragmented, making it difficult to systematically interpret and reuse process-dependent knowledge. This study presents a conceptual framework for describing the evolution of material state throughout hybrid manufacturing process chains. The proposed approach considers manufacturing as a sequence of interconnected causal transformations, where each operation inherits, modifies, and transfers material characteristics established by preceding processes. By explicitly representing these transformations, the framework provides a structured perspective for interpreting experimentally observed relationships between manufacturing conditions and material response. A conceptual demonstration based on a hybrid manufacturing route for stainless-steel components illustrates how cumulative process interactions can be systematically represented to support the analysis of material evolution and manufacturing strategy development. The proposed framework complements experimental investigations by enabling transparent interpretation of process-chain evolution.

Key Words:  Hybrid Manufacturing, Process Chains, Material Evolution, Causal Relationships, Surface Integrity, Manufacturing Science, Stainless Steel.