Thermal Simulation in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing of A 5356 Aluminium Single Track Deposited on 7108 Aluminium Substrate

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) enables the fabrication of metal components by depositing weld beads through arc-welding techniques. This cost-efficient approach is particularly suited for producing large-scale structures due to its high material deposition rate. Nevertheless, the final quality of the fabricated parts is significantly influenced by complex thermal dynamics occurring throughout the process. Continuous heating and cooling cycles cause heat accumulation, leading to geometric inaccuracies. To analyze these thermal effects, numerical simulation serves as a valuable investigative method. In this study, SIMUFACT-Welding software was used to model and simulate different parameters of WAAM process for producing aluminium single tracks. An adapted version of Goldak’s heat source model is integrated with the material deposition strategy. The simulation captured the thermal profile during deposition and analyzed the effect of energy density on heat flux. This impact influences the molten pool behaviour of the fabricated welded beads. Based on the analysis and simulation outcomes, an optimized heat input was identified and applied in fabricating a single track, that can be used in further analysis to fabricate a 3D metallic product.