Directed Energy Deposition Process Patent Landscape
The directed energy deposition (DED) process patent field is in a growth phase, with the most recent three-year window running 157% above the prior three-year window, though annual volume eased from its 2023 peak. Linde AG and Relativity Space share the top position, but concentration remains moderate and the field is open to new entrants across welding, alloy, and turbine-adjacent branches.
Linde AG and Relativity Space co-lead a moderately concentrated field
Linde AG and Relativity Space Inc each hold 7 patent families, placing them jointly at the top of the applicant ranking, followed closely by Fluid Handling LLC with 6 patent families and Rolls-Royce Corp with 4.
The top five filers account for 44% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating moderate concentration: no single entity dominates, and the gap between tier one and the remaining applicants is meaningful but not prohibitive for challengers.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linde AG | 7 | |
| 2 | Relativity Space Inc | 7 | |
| 3 | Fluid Handling LLC | 6 | |
| 4 | Rolls-Royce Corp | 4 | |
| 5 | Illinois Tool Works Inc | 3 | |
| 6 | The Boeing Company | 3 | |
| 7 | GKN Aerospace Sweden AB | 3 | |
| 8 | Narzedzia i Urzadzenia Wiertnicze Glinik Sp. z o.o. | 3 | |
| 9 | AB SKF | 3 | |
| 10 | Lortek S. Coop. | 2 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Board of Regents, The University of Texas System | 2 | |
| 12 | Edison Welding Institute Inc | 2 | |
| 13 | Battelle Energy Alliance LLC | 2 | |
| 14 | University of Idaho | 1 | |
| 15 | Ervin Germany GmbH | 1 | |
| 16 | Talens Systems S.L.U. | 1 | |
| 17 | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati | 1 | |
| 18 | Alcoa Inc | 1 | |
| 19 | AddUp | 1 | |
| 20 | Sathish Kumar Parimi | 1 |
The co-leadership of an industrial gas supplier (Linde AG) and a space-launch manufacturer (Relativity Space) signals that DED process IP is being built simultaneously from process-chemistry and end-use-part perspectives, creating a heterogeneous competitive landscape.
Filing data for 2024–2026 is subject to publication lag and will likely increase as pending applications publish; the apparent moderation in those years should not be read as slowing activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings surged from 2022 and the technology mix clusters around additive manufacturing, welding, and powder metallurgy
The annual trend and IPC composition charts together reveal both the pace of activity and the technical routes being pursued; the two views are complementary for identifying where the field is maturing and where coverage remains thin.
Annual filing trend
Activity was modest and variable from 2017 through 2021 (2–7 patent families per year), then accelerated sharply in 2022 (13) and peaked in 2023 (15). Figures for 2024 onward reflect publication lag and should be treated as provisional rather than indicative of a real decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Three IPC branches dominate: B33Y (additive manufacturing / 3D printing), B22F (powder metallurgy), and B23K (welding, soldering and brazing) together account for the overwhelming majority of records. C22C (alloys), F01D (turbines), and B23P (general metalworking) each have single-digit coverage, marking them as sparser, adjacent branches.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Method for manufacturing turbine labyrinth seal us…
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a labyrinth seal using wire arc additive manufacturing, which is mounted between a diaphragm of a turbine and a turbine rotor to induce a smooth rotation of the turbine rotor and preventing gas leakage by minimizing friction between the diaphragm of a turbine and a turbine rotor when a rotating… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种提高激光增材制造薄壁件成形质量的方法及装置 | 37 |
| 2 | Systems and methods for height control in laser me… | 8 |
| 3 | Additively manufactured parts having varied grain … | 8 |
| 4 | Methods and apparatus for cognitive robotic additi… | 7 |
| 5 | System and method for additive manufacturing | 4 |
| 6 | Device and method for direct energy deposition add… | 3 |
| 7 | Directed energy deposition nozzle assembly with no… | 3 |
| 8 | Directed energy deposition spray nozzle distributi… | 3 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural observations — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — frame the practical implications for teams deciding where to file or focus development effort.
Growth stage, past the 2023 annual peak
The lifecycle evidence classifies DED process IP as Growth: the most recent three-year window sits 157% above the prior three-year window, confirming that the field is still expanding on a multi-year basis. However, annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak, and the most recent filing years are further understated by publication lag. Entrants should plan for an increasingly crowded core while peripheral branches remain open.
Growth · past-peak annuallyModerate concentration with a fragmented mid-tier
The top five filers hold 44% of the hundred largest filers’ total, a level of concentration that signals established players but leaves room for mid-tier challengers. Below the top four applicants, the ranking quickly dissolves into many entities holding 1–3 patent families, meaning a focused filing program in an adjacent branch could establish meaningful rank relatively quickly.
Moderate HHINo formal co-applicant pairs identified in evidence
The collaboration evidence for this corpus is empty, meaning no co-applicant patent families were detected in the dataset. This absence may reflect the early commercial stage of DED process technology or the tendency of industrial participants to file independently. It also suggests that consortium or university-industry co-development agreements, where they exist, have not yet produced jointly assigned patents at scale.
Evidence pendingUS-first filing strategy dominates; EPO and PCT cover secondary markets
The United States is the lead jurisdiction with 23 patent records, followed by the European Patent Office with 18 and WIPO PCT with 12. India has 6 records, suggesting awareness of manufacturing-scale markets. Canada, Australia, China, and South Korea each have very limited coverage, pointing to geographic gaps that may be relevant for competitors seeking freedom to operate or filing opportunities in those markets.
US-centricGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Linde AG focuses on welding process routes; Relativity Space concentrates on additive manufacturing end-parts
The two joint leaders diverge sharply in technical emphasis: Linde AG builds its position through welding and brazing process chemistry, while Relativity Space frames its work entirely within additive manufacturing and powder metallurgy for structural parts.
Linde AG
Linde AG holds 7 patent families, concentrated in B23K welding, soldering and brazing — specifically arc welding (B23K 9) and plasma welding (B23K 10). The applicant momentum data classifies Linde as a new entrant in the recent period, meaning its 7 families are largely recent filings rather than a long-standing portfolio. This positions Linde as an aggressive process-gas and welding-process innovator entering the DED space from its core industrial-gas competency.
families: 7Relativity Space Inc
Relativity Space Inc also holds 7 patent families, with focus concentrated in B33Y additive manufacturing (both process and product sub-classes) and B22F powder metallurgy. Momentum evidence also classifies Relativity Space as a new entrant in the recent window, consistent with its known strategy of filing IP to protect its large-format metal additive manufacturing systems. Its emphasis on end-part additive manufacturing rather than process consumables differentiates it clearly from Linde AG at the same rank.
families: 7| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Relativity Space Inc | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Linde AG | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| FUNDACION AZTERLAN | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| AB SKF | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Narzedzia i Urzadzenia Wiertnicze Glinik Sp. z o.o. | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Alloy composition, turbine components, and spraying processes are under-served relative to the DED core
Five IPC branches sit at the periphery of the current DED corpus with single-digit record counts; three have plausible technical value and a realistic entry path for teams already active in the dominant branches.
C22C · Alloys — feedstock composition IP
With only 9 patent records, alloy composition represents one of the most technically proximate yet under-served branches in DED process IP. DED process outcomes are highly sensitive to feedstock alloy specification, yet most current filings address the deposition process itself rather than the alloy design. Teams with metallurgical competency and existing B22F or B33Y portfolios have a credible entry path by framing alloy innovations explicitly in the DED context.
Search this in Eureka →F01D · Turbines — repair and near-net-shape parts
F01D (turbines and non-positive engines) has only 8 patent records despite turbine blade repair being one of the most commercially cited DED applications. Rolls-Royce Corp and GKN Aerospace Sweden AB are active in adjacent branches but the turbine-specific IP remains sparse. Aerospace and power-generation manufacturers with DED process expertise could establish meaningful coverage in this branch with a targeted filing program, particularly around repair-and-restoration methods for high-value rotating parts.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route across welding, additive manufacturing, and powder metallurgy
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | B33Y 10 · Additive manufacturing (3D printing) | B22F 10 · Powder metallurgy | B23K 9 · Welding, soldering & brazing | B33Y 80 · Additive manufacturing (3D printing) | B23K 26 · Welding, soldering & brazing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relativity Space Inc | Strong · 6 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Strong · 6 | Absent |
| Fluid Handling LLC | Strong · 6 | Moderate · 3 | Absent | Strong · 6 | Absent |
| Fundacion Azterlan | Strong · 3 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Strong · 3 | Moderate · 1 |
| Narzedzia i Urzadzenia Wiertnicze Glinik Sp. z o.o. | Strong · 3 | Strong · 3 | Absent | Moderate · 1 | Strong · 2 |
| The Boeing Company | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 1 | Strong · 2 |
| AB SKF | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Absent | Moderate · 1 | Moderate · 1 |
| Linde AG | Absent | Absent | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The current corpus contains 68 patent families in scope, filed across multiple jurisdictions and spanning additive manufacturing, welding, powder metallurgy, and adjacent technical branches.
Linde AG and Relativity Space Inc jointly lead with 7 patent families each, followed by Fluid Handling LLC (6), Rolls-Royce Corp (4), and Illinois Tool Works Inc and The Boeing Co (3 each).
The three dominant IPC branches are B33Y (additive manufacturing / 3D printing), B22F (powder metallurgy), and B23K (welding, soldering and brazing). These three branches together account for the large majority of the technical records in the corpus.
The United States leads with 23 patent records, followed by the European Patent Office (18) and WIPO PCT (12). India has 6 records; Canada, Australia, China, and South Korea each have very limited coverage.
Evidence classifies the field as Growth: the most recent three-year filing window sits 157% above the prior three-year window. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has eased since, but the most recent years are understated by publication lag, so the apparent moderation should not be read as a real decline.
The sparsest branches relative to their technical relevance are C22C (alloy composition, 9 records), F01D (turbines and non-positive engines, 8 records), and B23P (general metalworking, 6 records). Spraying and atomising (B05B) and plastics shaping (B29C) each have only 4 records, representing additional adjacent areas with limited current coverage.
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Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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