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The state-of-the-art cleaner smart manufacturing process in the metal industry is the direct energy deposition-arc (DED-arc) process, which has emerged as an energy-efficient method for producing complex geometry metallic constructions. Process flexibility, material-consumption efficiency and high performance have drawn attention amongst both academics and industry, as DED-arc presents an ecologically viable alternative to traditional manufacturing techniques. Concurrently, the parallel emergence of extended reality (XR) technology has unveiled multiple novel possibilities for enhancing the sustainable development of DED-arc processing toward cleaner manufacturing. However, an evident knowledge gap exists concerning the integration of XR into the DED-arc process chain. This research aims to solve this problem by systematically exploring the potential of implementing XR technology within the DED-arc framework. Therefore, this study identifies through a literature review the technological difficulties and prospects associated with merging XR and DED-arc. Subsequently, a series of practical experiments are executed, presenting various applications of XR within the DED-arc process chain. The current research makes several noteworthy contributions to the practical understanding of how XR can be integrated into the DED-arc manufacturing process. Technological challenges are discussed, while the potential benefits of XR adoption in the DED-arc process chain are illuminated in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]