Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

This is 3D printing using the deposition of metal with MIG welders using standard MIG wire and automated computer controlled motion systems..

Basics

• This is a 3D Printing Method similar to Plastic FDM, but using Metal wire with a MIG welder.
• MIG welder is fast and cost effective for additive manufacturing of complex geometries.
• The heat source can be a welder, a laser, or an electric arc typically

OSE Context

Wire arc allows low feestock cost 3D metal printing of large parts. A spool of MIG wire is $1.15/lb in bulk -[1]. This is relevant to 3D printing towers for wind turbines, see 3D Printed Windmill Tower, or 3D printing entire tractor frames.

Mig Welder Cost Calculations

Cost of shielding gas is $9/8 hour shift, about $1/hour. Deposition rates go up to 20 lb per hour. See Welding Deposition Rate. This means one spool is used up per 2 hours. $46 in metal, $2 in gas. So about 4% is shielding gas.

Examples/Industry Standards

1. Cranfield University is doing work on WAAM. Largest printed part - 6 meters long, 300lb, plain aluminum - [2]. See their presentation - good insight - [3]. They are making real structural parts.
2. Australian government funds $376k for WAAM - [4]
3. 3D Printed Bridge - [5]

See Also

• D3D Metal Printer
• Open Source MIG Welder

Product Development Strategy

• 1" Universal Axis + Universal Frame + Universal Controller.
• 3 prototypes in 3 months of full time work we can nail this to product-level
• considering putting such into our budget surrounding the Seed Home 2
• Steel angle frame - rapid prototype uses 3D printed corners for holding - then welded together. Essentially - 3D printed corners are a jig for frame build.
• Use counterweighted platform, and do up to 200 lb prints. Counterweight considers Weight of platform + 100 lb, so 200 lb print would have 100 lb imbalance for safety factor 2 on 200 lb hold of motors. Platform should lift a person.
• All belts and sensitive parts are fully shielded
• Water or air cooling for platform as needed, and using insulated platform
• Hire a competent engineer at $50/hr.
• Budget - $24k + materials.

Internal Links

• Filler Rod
• Probably should merge these two?  :
  • Welding Wire
  • Welder Wire

External Links

• A Page by "RAMLAB" Titled "Directed Energy Deposition 101" (This goes over all forms and their advantages/disadvantages etc, also mentions EBM / LBM )
• Laser + TIG setup? - https://www.addere.com/addere-i
• Electron beam and laser beam can be used - [6]
• Is hot wire TIG used for 3D printing?
• TIG additive - Korea - [7]
• Paper on cold and hot wire TIG - [8]
• RepRap metal printer with TIG - [9]
• StrongPrint TIG with wire feed - [10]
• Review paper on Wire Arc Additive Mfg - WAAM - "The paper concludes that WAAM is a promising alternative to traditional subtractive manufacturing for fabricating large expensive metal components. [11]
• Companies producing cold weld spray 3d printing - [12]
• Metal arc from Prodways? - [13]. They call it forging, but it appears to be simple welding with shielding gas (GMAW)
• WAAM article - [14]