Quality Assurance Through Process Parameter Adjustment in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing of Metals

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) as one of the directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) techniques has gained significant attention by researchers in the field of AM, as it is found to be an efficient technique for manufacturing large-scale components in a wide range of industries. Despite its advantages, there remain some challenges concerning the WAAM process which need to be addressed in order to safely and reliably use it for industrial applications. These challenges include high surface roughness, unacceptable dimensional accuracy, and internal defects in the manufactured component. In this study we aim to enhance the overall quality of WAAM-manufactured components by optimizing the process parameters such as voltage, wire feed rate, and print speed. We developed a cost-effective WAAM machine using an FDM printer frame structure and a MIG welder. We propose a simple yet effective controller which consistently monitors the layer height during the build using a digital microscope. It uses edge detection techniques to measure layer height from side-view photos and tunes build parameters resulting in quality parts suitable for real-world applications. Also, a digital twin of process design (DTPD) has been developed to better monitor the WAAM process of metals.