| Selective laser melting (SLM) is cobsidered as a promising method in additive manufacturing (AM), especially for producing complex metallic parts. The SLM market is witnessing substantial growth, fueled by rising demand for cutting-edge manufacturing solutions in multiple sectors, and is expected to hit $5.8 billion by 2032. Nonetheless, SLMed parts suffer from problems such as process-related defects, tensile residual stress (TRS), and improper surface finish, which may restrict their industrial application. On this basis, this review studies the latest advancements in the field of post-processing of SLMed components utilizing ultrasonic-based surface severe plastic deformation (US-SSPD) methods. It is noteworthy that ultrasonic technology is progressively acknowledged as an eco-friendly metal processing technique, providing benefits like enhanced energy efficiency, lower chemical consumption, and greater sustainability. The results revealed that regardless of the material being investigated, applying US-SSPD is likely to modify the surface microstructure, promote the formation of ultrafine grains/nanostructures, decrease the porosity content, modify the surface roughness, and convert the undesirable TRS to the compressive residual stresses (CRS) causing notable improvement in surface mechanical properties, fatigue strength, corrosion resistance, and tribological characteristics. |
