Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing for Industrial Part Fabrication: A Short Review

Fabrication processes using additive manufacturing (AM) have the potential to create a variety of new products. For this reason, research and development is actively being conducted within this area. Parts with large and complex shapes are suitable for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), an AM technique based on arc welding, which is classified as directed energy deposition. Studies on WAAM are being conducted within various fields, including studies examining their mechanical properties, heat input conditions, material microstructures, post-processing, artificial intelligence techniques, repairs, and the development of hybrid systems with machining. However, many of these studies are evaluations that use simple shapes such as walls. The evaluations using simple shapes are important for fundamental engineering. However, as a fabrication technology, WAAM requires various evaluations using actual part shapes that are used in industry as test pieces in order to develop industrial applications.
The purpose of this review is to further clarify the industrial application value of WAAM. First, a literature review on the results of studies on WAAM for industrial parts was conducted to summarize the current literature. Then, based on the study results obtained through the literature review, the main current issues are summarized. In addition, a discussion is conducted on how WAAM can be used to improve the development of various industries. The conclusion is that WAAM has the potential to develop further into a technology that will be one of the key factors to achieve industrial innovation.