A study on tensile properties and microstructural characteristics of wire arc additive manufactured low carbon steel cylindrical components

Abstract

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technology that uses a modified robotic arc welding machine to manufacture parts in a layer-by-layer pattern. Wire-based AM has many major advantages, including good fabrication flexibility and control, as well as easier automated manufacturing. This article compares the tensile proprieties of WAAM low carbon steel cylinders made by pulsed current gas metal arc welding (PGMAW) and pulsed current cold metal transfer (PCMT) arc welding techniques. The microhardness and tensile properties of the WAAM cylindrical parts were evaluated in the bottom and top zones. The PCMT-WAAM cylinder showed higher hardness, yield strength (YS), and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) than the PGMAW-WAAM cylinder. The microstructural characteristics of the produced low carbon steel cylinders varied from one process to another process. The inhomogeneity in tensile properties and hardness is caused by variations in microstructural characteristics.

Keywords:

• Wire arc additive manufacturing
• low carbon steel
• microstructure
• tensile properties

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to M/s. Fronius India Pvt. Limited, Chennai, for their technical assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The first author is grateful to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, for the financial assistance provided through the PURSE-Phase-2 Fellowship scheme.