Model of weld beads geometry produced on surface temperatures by Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)

Abstract

Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is an Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology that knows a strong interest in recent years. With this technology, the combination of an electrical arc welding and a metallic wire feedstock is used to manufacture parts layer by layer. As part geometry depends strongly on deposition conditions, this study is focused on the characterization of single bead walls and their geometrical evolutions according to welding parameters and surface temperatures. Our experiment has consisted of the production of walls manufactured with a 5083Al wire and built from 1 layer up to 10 layers with several surface temperatures (Tsur fixed at 100, 200, 300 and 400°C). Before the deposition of each new layer, we ensure that the substrate is at the correct temperature using a thermometer in order to guarantee constant welding conditions. Those welding parameters have been kept constant with a Wire Feed Speed (WFS) at 5 m/min and a Travel Speed (TS) at 0.6 m/min. Wall bead geometry and dimensions, width (w) and height (h), have been then measured using a 3D scanner. Results are used to feed a predictive model developed with a circular model curve fitting each top layer cross-section of walls. Data form this study, coupled with thermal simulation, will allow us to predict faithfully parts shapes and to control their dimensions.