Process–Microstructure–Property Characteristics of Aluminum Walls Fabricated by Hybrid Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing with Friction Stir Processing.
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| Title: | Process–Microstructure–Property Characteristics of Aluminum Walls Fabricated by Hybrid Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing with Friction Stir Processing. |
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| Authors: | Elalem, Ahmed Nabil1 (AUTHOR) nabil01@hotmail.com, Wu, Xin1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Materials (1996-1944). Feb2026, Vol. 19 Issue 3, p580. 25p. |
| Subjects: | Friction stir processing, Microstructure, Electric welding, Aluminum alloys, Mechanical behavior of materials, Heat treatment |
| Abstract: | Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is a cost-effective method for fabricating large aluminum components; however, it tends to suffer from heat accumulation and coarse anisotropic microstructures, which can limit the part's performance. In this study, a wall is fabricated using a hybrid unified additive deformation manufacturing process (UAMFSP) method, which integrates friction stir processing (FSP) into WAAM, and is compared with a Metal Inert Gas (MIG)-based WAAM wall. Infrared (IR) thermography revealed progressive heat buildup in MIG walls, with peak layer temperatures of about 870 to 1000 °C. In contrast, in the UAMFSP process, heat was redistributed through mechanical stirring, maintaining more uniform sub-solidus profiles below approximately 400 °C. Also, optical microscopy and quantitative image analysis showed that MIG walls developed coarse, dendritic grains with a mean grain area of about 314 µm2, whereas the UAMFSP produced refined, equiaxed grains with a mean grain area of about 10.9 µm2. Microhardness measurement (Vickers HV0.2, 200 gf) confirmed that the UAMFSP process can improve the hardness by 45.8% compared to the MIG process (75.8 ± 7.7 HV vs. 52.0 ± 1.3 HV; p = 0.0027). In summary, the outcomes of this study introduce the UAMFSP process as a method for addressing the thermal and microstructural limitations of WAAM. These findings provide a framework for further extending hybrid additive–deformation strategies to thicker builds, alternative alloys, and service-relevant mechanical evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
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