Assessment of wire arc additive manufacturing with respect to the repeatability of the process under uncertainties

Abstract

Abstract. Energy Deposition Methods (EDM) is on the rise with its capabilities to manufacture relatively big parts, and Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) has been on the forefront. Developments in this technology has led to the innovation of WAAM-Cold Metal Transfer (WAAM-CMT), which is much more efficient than its predecessors. Nevertheless, it comes with its own complexities, giving rise to uncertainties, eventually causing variations in the geometry of fabricated parts. But these uncertainties can be traced back to the input parameters involved in the process. Even though, WAAM is influenced by several phenomena and parameters, only a handful of parameters are practically controlled during the process. Among these the most important parameters identified are Wire Feed Rate (V_feed) and Travel Speed (V_T) of the robot, which have a direct influence on the parts fabricated. To quantify the variability of these process parameters and the geometry of the bead, 140 single-layered beads are fabricated with four different set of input parameters. Quantification of the variations and the repeatability aspect of these variables, and thereby the process itself, are then studied using statistical tools like ANOVA. This gives an idea on how these vary from bead to bead. Quantifying these uncertainties and understanding the variations would help improve the process. This would enable better control of the process parameters, thus helping to make better design of the process and better predictions about the variations to expect.