Parameters Effect Study on Bead Geometry Deposited by CMT Technology Based Wire Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) Process

Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing has gained attention due to its ability to build high integrity metal parts. Nevertheless, some challenges persist in this technology, mostly in obtaining optimal deposition parameters that allow for obtaining parts with high geometry quality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of process parameters on the quality of the welded bead made by WAAM deposition strategy based on CMT technology, for samples created using AISI 316L stainless steel welding wire, build up on an AISI 304L stainless steel substrate. A Multiple-Level Factorial Design was carried out, followed by an analysis of variances (ANOVA) to assess the effects of travel speed (TS), wire feed rate (WFR) as well as gas flow rate (GFR) on the beads geometry. The obtained results are promising to be used in future research, such as wall deposition strategy.