This Excellence in Research (EiR) project aims to enhance the manufacturing of durable dissimilar metal joints using an advanced solid-state fabrication technique called Additive Friction Stir Deposition. Dissimilar metal joints, which combine the strengths of different metals, are essential in industries such as aerospace and automotive, where materials need to be lightweight, strong, and resistant to corrosion. However, joining metals with different properties poses significant challenges, such as the formation of brittle compounds and the development of residual stresses that can weaken the joints. Existing methods for joining dissimilar metals often struggle with these issues, leading to limitations in the quality and reliability of the resulting products. This research will tackle these challenges by systematically investigating how the additive friction stir deposition process can create robust and reliable metal joints, beginning with the study of Al6061 and Al7075 aluminum alloys. These alloys have distinct compositions and mechanical properties, which will be helpful for understanding the underlying mechanisms of dissimilar metal joining. The project will optimize processing parameters, perform detailed material characterizations, and use advanced computational modeling to understand the relationships between process, structure, and properties. The knowledge gained from this research will be applied to other metal combinations, such as aluminum/steel and aluminum/cop