Wire arc additive manufacturing of thin-wall low-carbon steel parts: Microstructure and mechanical properties

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has received much attention for manufacturing metal parts with medium and large dimensions because of its high deposition rate and low production costs. In this study, the effects of the heat input on the microstructure formation of thin-wall low-carbon steel parts built by a WAAM process were addressed. The mechanical properties of built materials were also studied. The results indicate that the heat input significantly influences on the shape of built thin walls, but has slight effects on the microstructure evolution of built materials. The WAAM thin-wall low-carbon steel presents suitable microstructures and good tensile strengths (YS: 320 - 362 MPa, UTS: 429 - 479 MPa) that are adequate with industrial applications. © World Scientific Publishing Company