Symmetry Analysis in Wire Arc Direct Energy Deposition for Overlapping and Oscillatory Strategies in Mild Steel

Abstract

The field of additive manufacturing has experienced a surge in popularity over recent decades, particularly as a viable alternative to traditional metal part production. Directed energy deposition (DED) is one of the most promising additive technologies, characterized by its high deposition rate, with wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) being a prominent example. Despite its advantages, DED is known to produce parts with suboptimal surface quality and geometric accuracy, which has been a major obstacle to its widespread adoption. This is due, in part, to a lack of understanding of the complex geometries produced by the additive layer. To address this challenge, researchers have focused on characterizing the geometry of the additive layer, particularly the outer part of the bead. This paper specifically investigates the geometrical characteristics and symmetry of walls produced by comparing two different techniques: an oscillated strategy and overlapping beads.