Experimental Investigation of Different WAAM (Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing) Processes and Their Influence on the Component Properties and Formability

Wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) complex components can be built-up layer by layer from metallic construction materials. In this investigation two different WAAM processes with high built-up rates (CMT and pulsed GMAW) were compared in terms of geometry formation and component properties. The reference is a rectangular thin-walled geometry made of the austenitic stainless steel 316LSi (1.4430). During the welding process, the temperature development in the weld layer was measured. The experimental comparison of CMT (\({\text{R}}_{\text{m}}=630 {\text{MPa}}\)) and pulsed GMAW (\({\text{R}}_{\text{m}}=605 {\text{MPa}}\)) is completed by the determination of the mechanical properties using micro-tensile tests. Furthermore, the additive-manufactured walls were cold rolled with a subsequent heat treatment or hot rolled to provide proof of formability and forming induced property improvement.