Title: Influence of interlayer temperature on microstructure of 5183 aluminium alloy made by wire arc additive manufacturing

Authors: Karan S. Derekar; David Griffiths; Sameehan S. Joshi; Jonathan Lawrence; Xiang Zhang; Adrian Addison; Geoff Melton; Lei Xu

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK; National Structural Integrity Research Centre (NSIRC), TWI Ltd., Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL, UK ORCID – 0000-0003-3909-5337 ' TWI Ltd., Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL, UK ' Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of North Texas, 1150 Union Circle 305310, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA ' Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK ' Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK ' TWI Ltd, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL, UK ' TWI Ltd, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL, UK ' TWI Ltd, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL, UK

Abstract: The variations in mechanical properties compared to the traditional processed (wrought) products, porosity formation, and solidification cracking are the primary concerns that may restrict industrial applications of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) aluminium alloy products. Interlayer temperature is one of the crucial factors that can adversely affect the built quality and properties of material produced using WAAM. The paper aims at the possible effects of different interlayer temperatures on the geometry and microstructure of WAAM aluminium 5183 alloy as a function of varying heat input. For a given heat input, samples built using a higher interlayer temperature (100°C) showed wider and shorter layer deposits with increased penetration compared with lower interlayer temperature (50°C) samples. Microstructure of the chosen material revealed columnar grains at each layer and equiaxed grains at layer overlap position and at top layer. Interlayer temperature had a minor influence on deposit geometry and microstructure.

Keywords: WAAM; wire arc additive manufacturing; aluminium; interlayer temperature; microstructure; layer geometry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2020.115191

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2020 Vol.15 No.4, pp.267 - 286

Received: 05 Jul 2019
Accepted: 14 Jan 2020
Published online: 24 May 2021 *

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