Additive manufacturing using WAAM with AA5183 wire

The present study addresses wire arc additive manufacturing of AA5183 aluminium alloy using conventional gas metal arc welding deposition on 20 mm thick AA6082-T6 plate as support material. Microscopic examination demonstrates that the process is feasible, but can be further optimized to reduce gas porosity and hot cracking. Hardness measurements confirmed relative high hardness, i.e., around 75 kg/mm2 in the horizontal plane, and between 70 and 75 kg/mm2 in the vertical plane down to the AA6082 support plate with 100 kg/mm2. Mechanical testing resulted in yield and tensile strength of 145 and 293 MPa, respectively, with lowest value in the through thickness (Z) direction. The ductility was high for orientations parallel (X) with and perpendicular (Y) to the layer deposition direction.