| Abstract Scope |
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), a process based on gas-shielded metal arc welding, shows significant potential as an alternative to casting, enabling the rapid fabrication of complex parts with minimal size constraints. Despite its promise, WAAM remains in the early stages of industrial adoption and lacks standardized operational procedures. Current industrial applications are mostly limited to case studies, making targeted implementations for specific materials and geometries a valuable avenue for academic research.
At the Integrated Center for Manufacturing and Automation (CIMA), WAAM was successfully implemented for austenitic stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and plain carbon steel. The system utilizes an ESAB Origo MIG 652cw welding unit integrated with a KUKA KR125 industrial robot. This study focuses on the fabrication and analysis of three AISI 308L stainless steel plates, each produced with different heat inputs: high (349 J/mm), medium (300 J/mm), and low (288 J/mm). Tensile testing, hardness measurements, and metallographic characterization were carried out to evaluate the influence of heat input on microstructural evolution and mechanical performance. The results indicate that lower heat input increases hardness, with values matching or surpassing those expected in the as-welded condition. Metallographic analysis revealed ferrite in both “lacy” and “vermicular” morphologies across all samples, with a higher fraction of lacy ferrite at lower heat input levels.
Additionally, we present preliminary results on the WAAM fabrication of an impeller for centrifugal pumps using ER70S-6 wire. These results include thermal history during deposition, microstructural development, and mechanical property assessment. |