The development of computational welding mechanics (CWM) began more than four decades ago. The approach focuses on the region outside the molten pool and is used to simulate the thermo-metallurgical-mechanical behaviour of welded components. It was applied to additive manufacturing (AM) processes when they were known as weld repair and metal deposition. The interest in the CWM approach applied to AM has increased considerably, and there are new challenges in this context regarding welding. The current state and need for developments from the perspective of the authors are summarised in this study.