Metal Additive Manufacturing Conference - MAMC 2023

Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is a metal 3d printing process suitable for building large, semi-complex, near-net shape components. The Welding and Additive Manufacturing Centre at Cranfield University has been at the forefront of WAAM development, working on this technology for over 17 years, investigating processes, materials, and the manufacture of components. WAAM can replace conventional subtractive manufacturing to build high-performing parts for the aerospace sector. It can also replace complex assemblies in the automotive industry, reducing lead time, waste and costs. Investigations in collaboration with the Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre at Cranfield quantified the sustainability effect of the implementation of WAAM when manufacturing new or repairing exciting parts.

This talk will focus on the aluminium research programme within the Cranfield Centre research and industrial project portfolio. This covers the development of new alloys using in-situ alloying and advanced processes, high productivity WAAM, inter-layer cold work and milling, and component manufacture. Recent results of industrial and publicly funded projects will be presented, highlighting progress regarding deposition rate (up to 4.5 kg) and manufacture of large and complex components. As a case study, the European-funded project “Innovative Aluminium filler Wires for Aircraft Structures” outcomes will be presented, covering the design of a new aluminium lithium alloy for WAAM, process condition development, and the successful deposition of an aircraft wing component demonstrator.