A Review of the Recent Developments and Challenges in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) Process

Abstract

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is an emerging and promising technology for producing medium-to-large-scale metallic components/structures for different industries, i.e., aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, etc. It is now a feasible alternative to traditional manufacturing processes due to its shorter lead time, low material waste, and cost-effectiveness. WAAM has been widely used to produce components using different materials, including copper-based alloy wires, in the past decades. This review paper highlights the critical aspects of WAAM process in terms of technology, various challenges faced during WAAM process, different in-process and post-process operations, process monitoring methods, various gases, and different types of materials used in WAAM process. Furthermore, it briefly overviews recent developments in depositing different copper-based alloys via WAAM process.