A method for fabricating a component, comprising the steps of: forming an additively manufactured component having sequentially joined layers of a metallic powder by an additive manufacturing process; wherein the additive manufacturing process includes providing a metallic powder to a substrate surface, heating the metallic powder to a temperature sufficient to join at least a portion of the metallic powder to form an initial layer, and sequentially forming additional layers over the initial layer to form a component or portion thereof, wherein further heating of the metallic powder controllably directing a focused energy source toward the metallic powder, the method further comprising identifying expected crack locations on a surface of the additively manufactured component; applying a braze material to the expected crack locations , wherein the braze material is only and selectively applied to the expected crack locations; heating the additively manufactured component to at least two desired heating temperatures (T1-T4) for at least two desired heating or dwell time periods (t 1 -t 4 ); wherein the heating comprises heating the additively manufactured component to a first temperature (T 1 ) and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the first temperature for a first dwell time (t 1 ) and subsequently heating the additively manufactured component to a second temperature (T 2 ) and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the second temperature for a second dwell time (t 2 ), wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature, wherein the second temperature is at a temperature level where stress relaxation can occur in the additively manufactured component and where the braze material remains in a solid state, the method further comprising cooling the additively manufactured component to a cooling temperature (T5) for a dwell time period (t 5 ); and wherein the braze material fills in a crack formed during at least one of the heating steps. forming an additively manufactured component having sequentially joined layers of a metallic powder by an additive manufacturing process; wherein the additive manufacturing process includes providing a metallic powder to a substrate surface, heating the metallic powder to a temperature sufficient to join at least a portion of the metallic powder to form an initial layer, and sequentially forming additional layers over the initial layer to form a component or portion thereof, wherein further heating of the metallic powder controllably directing a focused energy source toward the metallic powder, the method further comprising identifying expected crack locations on a surface of the additively manufactured component; applying a braze material to the expected crack locations , wherein the braze material is only and selectively applied to the expected crack locations; heating the additively manufactured component to at least two desired heating temperatures (T1-T4) for at least two desired heating or dwell time periods (t 1 -t 4 ); wherein the heating comprises heating the additively manufactured component to a first temperature (T 1 ) and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the first temperature for a first dwell time (t 1 ) and subsequently heating the additively manufactured component to a second temperature (T 2 ) and maintaining the additively manufactured component at the second temperature for a second dwell time (t 2 ), wherein the first temperature is lower than the second temperature, wherein the second temperature is at a temperature level where stress relaxation can occur in the additively manufactured component and where the braze material remains in a solid state, the method further comprising cooling the additively manufactured component to a cooling temperature (T5) for a dwell time period (t 5 ); and wherein the braze material fills in a crack formed during at least one of the heating steps. <EOS>