Abstract Scope |
Directed energy deposition - gas metal arc additive manufacturing (GMAAM) is an emerging technology used to produce large-format components from steel and other alloys. Before the structural steel engineering and design community will seriously consider the use of these elements in their structures, it will be necessary to develop a better understanding the structural integrity of large-format prototypes, determine essential variables and acceptance criteria, and establish a practical qualification framework.
Conestoga College in Cambridge, ON, has employed its expertise in robotic arc welding to establish a stable GMAAM process with a deposition rate of up to 4 kg/hr. Three different common structural steel alloy feedstock electrode wires were evaluated to produce a series of thin-walled plates (up to >300 mm tall x >16 mm thick). These pieces were destructively tested using standard mechanical methods to evaluate anisotropy and metal soundness. Results from metallurgical, tensile, hardness, impact toughness, guided bend tests, and other analyses will be reported and compared to the minimum requirements for the welding electrode wires and standard high-strength low alloy (HSLA) plates commonly used in structures. |