In this study, published in the Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, the influence of printing parameters and strategies on the morphological characteristics of austenitic stainless steel beads deposited on carbon steel substrates was investigated through plasma-directed energy deposition (DED). The experimental setup varied the welding current, wire feed rate, and torch travel speed, and we analyzed three printing strategies: single-linear, overlapping, and oscillating. Additionally, advanced 3D scanning and computational analysis were employed to evaluate key morphological characteristics, including bead width and height. The results showed that the computational model developed using parabolic assumptions accurately predicted the geometric outcomes of overlapping beads. The oscillating printing strategy demonstrated the best morphological uniformity and wettability of the micro-sphere substrate, making these characteristics suitable for the fabrication of multi-layer components. The use of equivalent wavelength-amplitude values resulted in optimal combinations of micro-sphere height and width. Furthermore, cost-effective carbon steel substrates could be utilized in microstructural and elemental analyses, with the latter confirming the alignment of the bead composition with the wire-fed material. Overall, this study provides practical insights for optimizing plasma DED processes, thereby enhancing the efficiency and quality of metal component manufacturing.