Enhancing deposition quality in robotic WAAM of aluminium alloy: the role of deposition angle
摘要
Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is the most prominent metal deposition process for creating three-dimensional objects due to its low cost and high deposition rate. Deposition angle is one of the most influential factors affecting deposition quality. This study investigates the effects of deposition angle variation on the initial layer deposition of Al-5356 alloy using WAAM under fixed wire feed rate and travel speed conditions. The findings reveal that deposition angle adjustments substantially impact bead morphology, microstructure, mechanical properties, residual stress, and texture evolution in the deposited layer. Specifically, a deposition angle of 90° resulted in the highest bead height, while a 60° angle produced the greatest bead width. Residual stress was observed to increase with deposition angle variations from 60° to 120°. Moreover, the 90° deposition angle exhibited a distinct texture, while microhardness was highest at a 120° deposition angle in comparison to the 60° and 90° angles. These results underscore the pivotal influence of deposition angle in optimizing deposition characteristics of WAAM, providing critical insights for refining additive manufacturing practices to align with targeted industrial applications.