Influence of Arc Length Correction on Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Defect Formation of Wire-Arc Additive Manufactured 5356 Alloy

Aluminum alloys are widely used in many applications and the wire-arc-based metal additive manufacturing of aluminum alloys, the major challenge is the porosity formation. The present work studies the effect of arc length correction (ALC) on the porosity formation with distribution and mechanical properties evaluation of wire-arc additively deposited 5356 aluminum alloy. The radiography shows a porosity distribution in the top, middle, and bottom layers with maximum porosity observed in the middle layers. The porosity sizes of < 100 µm, 100-200 µm, and > 200 µm are formed in ALC ± 5, respectively. The microstructural analysis reveals the sizes of the porosity ranging from 0.1 µm to 2 mm. Mechanical properties such as YS, UTS, and % of elongation 80.22 MPa 208.2 MPa, and 26, respectively, in ALC + 5% are higher than others. At the ALC of 0%, the impact energy is observed to be maximum (160 KJ/m²), whereas at the ALC of ± 5%, the impact energy is low. Further, the microhardness of the middle layers is low (20-30HV) in all the ALCs and maximum (90-95HV) at the top or bottom regions of the as-deposited specimens. Strength-wise, ALC + 5% is good, but when it comes to impact energy, hardness, and porosity ALC0% is best.