<p>Multi-material constructions are utilized to meet the current aviation regulations on resource reduction and conservation by a design-technological approach to save mass while maintaining high performance. One approach is to use the freedom in design offered by additive manufacturing processes in combination with high-performance composites. One challenge when directly joining these materials is achieving good adhesion at the interface. In this respect, it must be considered that the manufacturing parameters, especially in additive manufacturing, affect the surface characteristics and thus the joint properties. In this study, 316L stainless steel specimens manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) are directly joined with carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketon (CF-PEEK) by an autoclave process. A novel methodological approach for determining the influence of the process-related metal surface structure on the joint strength is presented. The printed surface structures are investigated prior joining to identify interlocking possibilities at the microscale level using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and profilometry data combined with imaging methods. These results are published in (Lehmann et al. in Eng Proc 90:113, 2025). After joining, single-lap shear tests are performed to evaluate the influential PBF-LB/M process parameters remelting and surface angle on the tensile shear strength. By analyzing the fracture surfaces using computed tomography (CT) scans and SEM, significant correlations between the proportions of interlocking elements and tensile shear strength are determined. With the help of the numerical data obtained from the approach described, simulation models based on metal-polymer composites can be expanded in the future, enabling more accurate predictions of component failure.</p>