Enhancement of Wear Properties of Dissimilar Super Duplex Stainless Steel (SDSS) 2507–IN718 Alloy Wall via Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Cold Metal Transfer-Based Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

Abstract Cold metal transfer (CMT) has surfaced as an exceptionally promising technique for the direct production or repair of high-performance metal components. Induced fabrication defects, such as porosity and heterogeneous microstructures, significantly influence the quality of parts and their mechanical performance. Ultrasonic vibration (UV) has been employed to improve the performance of components in the processes of solidifying melted materials. Limited research has been conducted on the application of UV in CMT-based wire arc direct energy deposition for the fabrication of dissimilar Super Duplex Stainless Steel (SDSS) 2507–IN718 components. This study introduces the application of UV-assisted CMT-based wire arc direct energy deposition for the production of dissimilar SDSS2507–IN718 components, aiming to reduce fabrication errors. Experimental investigations are conducted to analyze the effects of UV on the microstructures and wear characteristics of components produced through CMT. This article outlines the findings regarding the wear characteristics of a dissimilar alloy wall produced through the ultrasonic wire arc additive manufacturing (UV-WAAM) technique, which has been tested under dry sliding conditions with varying load conditions. Wear testing was performed in a dry, unlubricated setting utilizing a conventional high-load ball-on-disc tribometer. The wear rate and coefficient of friction are lower for samples treated with UV assistance compared to those treated with UV alone. The results indicated that the use of ultrasonic vibration enhanced the microstructure, resulting in an average grain size of 4.59 μm. Furthermore, it successfully broke down the detrimental Laves precipitated phase into smaller particles that were uniformly dispersed.