Simulation of Metallic Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (Waam) Process Using Simufact Welding Software

Abstract

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is one of the emerging low-cost metal additive manufacturing techniques used to fabricate medium-large complex structures. The process provides design flexibility, supports green manufacturing, power efficiency, good structural integrity, high performance, and cost benefits, particularly for large-scale components. However, the heating and cooling cycle prevails during the deposition of material layer upon layer resulting in heat accumulation within the deposited layers. It causes geometric inaccuracy, surface roughness, high residual stresses, and mechanical anisotropy in the built structures. Therefore, SIMUFACT-Welding software has been used to model and simulate the WAAM process to fabricate a straight steel wall structure. The simulated results were able to visualize the existing thermal cycle during layer deposition and the effect of heat input on the fabricated wall structure and the substrate.

Review of Measuring Methods of Residual Stress in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Products

“…Within the context of WAAM products, the presence of RS and deformations due to process parameters becomes a significant issue as they have a substantial impact on the quality, cost, and precision of the printing process [11][12][13]. Additionally, WAAM, which is a subset of AM, is getting significant interest from all researchers because of its various benefits, including its ability to achieve high metal deposition rates and produce near-net shapes, surpassing conventional manufacturing methods with its higher thermal residual stresses (RS) [3,[14][15][16]. It is an emerging metal additive manufacturing technique, that is gradually providing a competitive edge over traditional forging and casting methods [17].…”