In Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and fusion welding, various defects such as porosity, cracks, deformation and lack of fusion can occur during the fabrication process. These have a strong impact on the mechanical properties and can also lead to failure of the manufactured parts during service. These defects can be recognized using non-destructive testing (NDT) methods so that the examined workpiece is not harmed. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of various NDT techniques for WAAM and fusion welding, including laser-ultrasonic, acoustic emission with an airborne optical microphone, optical emission spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, laser opto-ultrasonic dual detection, thermography and also in-process defect detection via weld current monitoring with an oscilloscope. In addition, the novel research conducted, its operating principle and the equipment required to perform these techniques are presented. The minimum defect size that can be identified via NDT methods has been obtained from previous academic research or from tests carried out by companies. The use of these techniques in WAAM and fusion welding applications makes it possible to detect defects and to take a step towards the production of high-quality final components.
Ever-increasing demands of industrial manufacturing regarding mechanical properties require the development of novel alloys designed towards the respective manufacturing process. Here, we consider wire arc additive manufacturing. To this end, Al alloys with additions of Zn, Mg and Cu have been designed considering the requirements of good mechanical properties and limited hot cracking susceptibility. The samples were produced using the cold metal transfer pulse advanced (CMT-PADV) technique, known for its ability to produce lower porosity parts with smaller grain size. After material simulations to determine the optimal heat treatment, the samples were solution heat treated, quenched and aged to enhance their mechanical performance. Chemical analysis, mechanical properties and microstructure evolution were evaluated using optical light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis and X-ray radiography, as well as tensile, fatigue and hardness tests. The objective of this research was to evaluate in detail the mechanical properties and microstructure of the newly designed high-performance Al–Zn-based alloy before and after ageing heat treatment. The only defects found in the parts built under optimised conditions were small dispersed porosities, without any visible cracks or lack of fusion. Furthermore, the mechanical properties are superior to those of commercial 7xxx alloys and remarkably independent of the testing direction (parallel or perpendicular to the deposit beads). The presented analyses are very promising regarding additive manufacturing of high-strength aluminium alloys.
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