Functional grading in wire-arc additive manufacturing

What is it about?

In this work, we propose a new technique that enables us to produce functionally graded parts (parts that have spatially varied microstructures). Unlike previous studies that relied on compositional variations or in-situ thermo-mechanical methods to control the properties, we used a simple yet effective approach. We rationally adjusted the process parameters to regulate the energy input. By doing this, we were able to produce functionally graded parts.

Featured Image

Photo by Simon Kadula on Unsplash

Photo by Simon Kadula on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This technique opens up new possibilities to produce tailored microstructures and mechanical properties in metal additive manufacturing, facilitating the optimisation of part design to meet material performance requirements in specific regions of the components.