Wire arc additive manufacturing of ER-4043 aluminum alloy: evaluation of bead profile, microstructure, and wear behavior

Wire arc additive manufacturing technique has a major transformation in metal manufacturing as a result of recent technological advancements. The present study is aimed at the deposition of the defects-free bead of ER-4043 aluminum alloy (aluminum–silicon alloy) by using wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) with robotic gas metal arc welding (GMAW) with varying current and tool speeds. The arc served as the heat source, and a 1.2-mm diameter of ER-4043 aluminum alloy wire was used as the raw material during bead deposition. The cross-section profile of the single bead in WAAM is essential for determining surface quality and dimensional accuracy. The cross-section profile of each bead was measured using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) by taking multiple points on the surface of each bead. Points taken from each bead are fitted with Gaussian, logistic, parabola, and sine functions using the least square regression analysis to determine the geometry of the single bead. Moreover, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the deposited bead were investigated on selected parameters with a constant tool speed of 10 mm/s, varying heat input in terms of current from 153 A, 202 A, and 246 A of specimens A, B, and C, respectively. The detailed study shows the understanding of the effect of variation of current on the surface morphology, microstructure, hardness, and wear behavior of deposited beads.