Metal-Arc Welding Technologies for Additive Manufacturing of Metals and Composites

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has been extensively embraced due to its capability to produce components at lower cost while achieving complex detail. There has been considerable emphasis on the development of low-cost AM technologies and investigation of production of various materials (metals, polymers, etc.) through AM processes. The most developed techniques for AM of products include stereolithography (SLA), fused deposition modelling (FDM), laser technologies, wire-arc welding techniques, and so forth. In this chapter, a review of the wire-arc welding-based technologies for AM is provided in two-fold perspective: (1) the advancement of the arc welding process as an additive manufacturing technology and (2) the progress in the production of metal/alloys and composites through these technologies. The chapter will provide important insights into the application of arc welding technology in additive manufacturing of metals and composites for advanced applications in the era of Industry 4.0.