WAAM Process / Printing Metal Wire.
WAAM bot, Printing Metal with welding process.
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Step 1: WAAM Process Deposition.
The development of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), now known as directed energy deposition-arc (DED-arc), is being driven by the need for increased manufacturing efficiency of engineering structures. Its ability to produce very near net shape preforms without the need for complex tooling, moulds or dies offers potential for significant cost and lead time reductions, increased material efficiency, improved component performance and reduction of inventory and logistics costs by local, on-demand manufacture.
First patented in 1920, WAAM is probably the oldest, outwardly simplest, but least talked about of the range of additive manufacturing (AM) processes (commonly known as 3D printing). Using wire as feedstock, the basic process has been used to perform local repairs on damaged or worn components, and to manufacture round components and pressure vessels for decades. However, the advent of high quality computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software has made AM in general possible, with WAAM, in particular, being an area of significant development. With a resolution of approximately 1mm and deposition rate between 1 and 10kg/hour or more (depending on arc source), the operating window of WAAM is between, and complementary to, highly accurate but slower laser-based systems and less accurate high-deposition-rate multi-arc plasma and electron beam systems.
