Akash Belure is a Ph.D. student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cleveland State University under the guidance of Dr. Tushar Borkar. His research is centered on advanced manufacturing processes, focusing on using Direct Energy Deposition (DED) additive manufacturing for hot forging die repair applications and extending the service life of forging tools through optimized material deposition and alloy selection for H13 tool steel substrates. During his master's studies in India, he contributed to projects on Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) at the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, where he successfully fabricated super-smooth surfaces for high-reflectivity mirror substrates used in synchrotron X-ray and high-power laser systems, resulting in the publication of two research articles in this domain. Akash also has three years of experience as an Optical Engineer (Mechanical) at Optics and Allied Engineering Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, India, where he optimized fabrication processes for optical components, including lenses and mirrors, ensuring quality through advanced tools. His combined research and industrial background provide a strong foundation in advanced manufacturing, surface engineering, and process optimization.