A5356 cladding layer formation on a SUS304 plate by a weaving strategy with wire-arc directed energy deposition

Abstract The combination of aluminum alloys and stainless steels is in high demand across a wide range of applications, as it enables optimization of material properties and cost. When these dissimilar metals are joined by fusion, brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) form at the interface, severely degrading joint strength. Yet, identifying process parameters that simultaneously achieve optimal IMC thickness, a high bonding ratio, and a flat cladding surface remains highly challenging due to complex parameter interactions such as heat input, torch path, and wire feed speed. This study establishes the process conditions required for high-quality cladding, i.e., satisfying the three objectives mentioned above. To this end, an A5356 aluminum alloy layer was deposited onto a SUS304 stainless steel substrate while controlling heat input through weaving amplitude, wavelength, and frequency. The deposition behavior was captured with a high-speed camera, and thermal analysis was employed to predict favorable conditions. The results demonstrate that deposition with reduced heat input—when accompanied by a sharp contact angle of the molten aluminum alloy and a bead width exceeding the weaving wavelength λ—consistently yields high-quality cladding. Moreover, thermal analysis revealed the critical thermal window: the substrate surface directly beneath the torch must remain above the liquidus temperature of A5356 (~ 640 °C) but below the solidus of SUS304 (~ 1400 °C). These findings provide clear design criteria, offering a robust basis for optimizing dissimilar-metal cladding.