| Abstract Scope |
In Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), dynamically adjusting layer height usually requires altering travel speed or wire feed rates. However, fluid dynamics create a fundamental problem: forcing a taller weld bead inherently makes it wider. This leads to poor track overlapping, inconsistent geometric fidelity, and unstable heat buildup. This research presents a purely kinematic alternative. Rather than altering machine parameters, we use spatially varying "micro-meander" toolpaths to precisely control deposition volume. A custom forward-stepping algorithm dynamically adjusts the meander's amplitude and wavelength based on its exact spatial location, ensuring phase-locked, seamless track boundaries. This decouples the tool's travel speed from the actual material build-up rate, ensuring optimal arc stability and predictable thermal gradients. By maintaining constant process parameters, this approach successfully demonstrates adaptive surface planarization and variable-height deposition, effectively bypassing the physical fluid limitations of traditional WAAM. |