Important findings in Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

The paper presents a set of findings important for wire arc additive manufacturing using a welding robot. At the beginning an overview of additive manufacturing technologies for the production of metal parts is presented. Special attention is set to wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technologies. The advantage of WAAM compared to laser or electron beam technologies is lower investment and operational costs, while the disadvantage could be a lower dimensional accuracy. Due to higher productivity, the WAAM technologies are more suitable for the production of bigger parts. In this paper, the results of a study of WAAM using a welding robot and a CMT power source are presented. Thin walls have been clad using G3Si1 welding wire. The microstructure and hardness of produced structures were measured and analyzed. Research was done to determine the optimal welding parameters for the production of thin walls with smooth surfaces. SprutCAM software was used to make a code for 3D printing of the sample part. It was found out that weld interpass temperature and workpiece-to-contact-tip length play an important role in WAAM technologies.