A method of additive manufacturing, comprising: providing a raw material in solid state form; exposing the raw material to a leading energy beam thereby liquefying the raw material; forming a melt pool with the liquefied raw material, the melt pool having a leading region and a trailing region; characterized in that the method further comprises: exposing the trailing region of the melt pool to a trailing energy beam; wherein the trailing energy beam is spaced apart from the leading energy beam at varying distances as the leading energy beam moves in the travel direction; wherein the trailing energy beam follows the leading energy beam by a first distance at a first location along a path in the travel direction; wherein the trailing energy beam follows the leading energy beam by a second distance at a second location along the path in the travel direction, the second distance being greater than the first distance; wherein the trailing energy beam cycles between the first distance and the second distance, and one or more intermediate distances, as the leading energy beam moves in the travel direction; wherein the distance between the trailing energy beam and the leading energy beam progressively increases at one or more intermediate distances between the first distance and the second distance; and wherein the trailing energy beam cycles back to the first distance after reaching the second distance. providing a raw material in solid state form; exposing the raw material to a leading energy beam thereby liquefying the raw material; forming a melt pool with the liquefied raw material, the melt pool having a leading region and a trailing region; characterized in that the method further comprises: exposing the trailing region of the melt pool to a trailing energy beam; wherein the trailing energy beam is spaced apart from the leading energy beam at varying distances as the leading energy beam moves in the travel direction; wherein the trailing energy beam follows the leading energy beam by a first distance at a first location along a path in the travel direction; wherein the trailing energy beam follows the leading energy beam by a second distance at a second location along the path in the travel direction, the second distance being greater than the first distance; wherein the trailing energy beam cycles between the first distance and the second distance, and one or more intermediate distances, as the leading energy beam moves in the travel direction; wherein the distance between the trailing energy beam and the leading energy beam progressively increases at one or more intermediate distances between the first distance and the second distance; and wherein the trailing energy beam cycles back to the first distance after reaching the second distance. exposing the trailing region of the melt pool to a trailing energy beam; wherein the trailing energy beam is spaced apart from the leading energy beam at varying distances as the leading energy beam moves in the travel direction; wherein the trailing energy beam follows the leading energy beam by a first distance at a first location along a path in the travel direction; wherein the trailing energy beam follows the leading energy beam by a second distance at a second location along the path in the travel direction, the second distance being greater than the first distance; wherein the trailing energy beam cycles between the first distance and the second distance, and one or more intermediate distances, as the leading energy beam moves in the travel direction; wherein the distance between the trailing energy beam and the leading energy beam progressively increases at one or more intermediate distances between the first distance and the second distance; and wherein the trailing energy beam cycles back to the first distance after reaching the second distance.