Effect of the Metal Transfer Mode on the Symmetry of Bead Geometry in WAAM Aluminum

The symmetrical nature in the case of wall fabrication by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has been observed in the literature, but it has not been studied as a source of knowledge. This paper focuses on the comparative study of three drop transfer methods employing Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) technology, one of the most reported for the manufacture of aluminum alloys. The transfer modes studied are the well-known pulsed GMAW, cold arc, and the newer pulsed AC. The novelty of the last transfer mode is the reversal of the polarity during the preparation phase of the substance for droplet deposition. This study compares the symmetry of zero beads to determine the best parameters and transfer modes for wire arc additive manufacturing of 5 series aluminum. The pulsed transfer modes show values of 0.6 for symmetry ratio, which makes them more interesting strategies than cold arc with a symmetry ratio of 0.5. Furthermore, the methodology proposed in this study can be extrapolated to other materials manufactured with this technology.