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The Complete Guide to WAAM in Metal 3D Printing
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) falls under the umbrella of Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printing. DED technology is a metal 3D printing technique that involves depositing a metal material in powder or wire form by means of a nozzle…
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Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) falls under the umbrella of Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printing. DED technology is a metal 3D printing technique that involves depositing a metal material in powder or wire form by means of a nozzle mounted on a multi-axis arm. A focused energy source, i.e. a laser or electron beam or plasma, is used to melt the material as it is used to build the part layer by layer. In the case of the WAAM, an electric arc is used as the heat source, inspired by arc-welding.
WAAM technology is based on the principle of various automated welding techniques using robotic systems: metal-inert gas (MIG) or metal-active gas (MAG), tungsten-inert gas (TIG) or plasma arc-wire (PAW). There’s also the Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) welding process, derived from MIG and created by Fronius in 2004. Various metals are compatible with WAAM. These include titanium, aluminum, nickel and steel alloys, among others.
The 3D-printed propeller by Naval Group (photo credits: Naval Group)
Applications for WAAM 3D Printing
Like with other DED processes, WAAM is often used to repair equipment and reproduce parts that are no longer manufactured, in order to maintain older machines. However, the technology can also be used to manufacture complete parts. WAAM is used in particular in the aeronautics, aerospace, automotive, energy and defense sectors. It is used to manufacture prototypes, molds, single parts and small series. Its use for mass production is still under review, however, though it is particularly well-suited to the creation of large, metal parts.
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