Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc.

China 34(2024) 423−434

Effect of deposition strategies on microstructures, defects and mechanical

properties of 5356 aluminum alloy by wire arc additive manufacturing

Kai ZHU, Jian WANG, Wei-chen ZHANG, Xiao-lei ZHU, Xiao-feng LU

School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Received 19 July 2022; accepted 6 March 2023

Abstract: Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is performed to study the effects of three deposition strategies
on the 5356 aluminum alloy (AA5356) components. Three deposition strategies are reciprocating scanning (RS),
oscillating scanning (OS) and vertical scanning (VS), respectively. The microstructures, defects and mechanical
properties of AA5356 components are fundamentally explored. The results show that the VS strategy makes the uniform
heat distribution of components. The microstructures with the VS strategy are mainly composed of equiaxed grains,
compared with those with RS and OS strategies. The equiaxed grains lead to the highest microhardness (HV 77.25). The
porosity and micropore size of the component with the VS strategy are reduced by 45.52% and 19.81%, respectively,
resulting in improved tensile properties. Thus, the VS strategy provides a new solution for obtaining AA5356
components with uniform microstructure and excellent mechanical properties.
Key words: wire arc additive manufacturing; deposition strategy; aluminum alloys; microstructure; mechanical properties

application of WAAM on various materials like

1 Introduction Al alloy [6], Ti alloy [7], nickel-based alloy [8], and
steel [9]. WAAM-CMT Al alloy is mainly studied
In recent years, wire arc additive from two aspects: one is controlling deposition
manufacturing (WAAM) is becoming a new accuracy, and the other is controlling the properties
promising economical technique for metal additive of deposited components. Many researchers studied
manufacturing. WAAM has fast deposition the effects of deposition parameters on the
speed, simple equipment, and high material deposition accuracy, porosity, and mechanical
utilization [1,2], suitable for the processing and properties of WAAM components, such as droplet
manufacturing medium and large structural transfer mode, current, voltage, wire feeding speed,
components such as cruciform, stiffened panels, and travelling speed, heat input, interpass temperature,
wing ribs [3]. Cold metal transfer (CMT) welding is etc [10−15]. To improve the surface quality of the
an enhanced gas metal arc welding (GMAW) WAAM Al alloy components, JAFARI et al [16]
characterized by a highly stable arc with a minor studied the influence of travelling speed and wire
splash, low heat input, and high deposition rate [4]. feeding speed on the deposition accuracy of
CMT arc modes consist of pulse, advanced, and single-pass cladding and single-pass multilayer
pulse advanced variants. These variants are suitable cladding rings. The researchers found that
for WAAM processes, which produce different increasing the travelling speed improves the width
droplet transfers and heat inputs [5]. accuracy by decreasing the heat input. During
Several researchers have investigated the the deposition process, OYAMA et al [17] monitored
Corresponding author: Jian WANG, Tel: +86-25-58139352, E-mail: [email protected];
Xiao-feng LU, Tel: +86-25-58139356, E-mail: [email protected]
DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(23)66408-8
1003-6326/© 2024 The Nonferrous Metals Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd & Science Press
424 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434

the size and geometry of the molten pool in real the effects of parallel channels, triangular
time. They found that changing the heat input oscillating, and square oscillating on the bead
effectively enhances the deposition efficiency and geometry. The results showed that the triangular
the dimensional accuracy of the deposited oscillating strategy is the most recommended for
component. Due to the heat source staying longer at martensitic aging steels. On the other hand, MA
the edge, the high heat input in thin-walled et al [24] comprehensively studied oscillating
structures makes it difficult to achieve highly strategies for depositing large and thin-walled
accurate dimensional accuracy in continuous aluminum alloy structures. The aim is using the
deposition with staggered deposition. At the same oscillating strategy to improve surface flatness.
time, some researchers studied the control of the In summary, the deposition strategy affects the
properties of WAAM Al alloy. Many researchers forming quality and mechanical properties of
studied the mechanical properties of as-deposited WAAM components. This study presents a new
2xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx, and 6xxx series of WAAM Al vertical scanning deposition strategy based on the
alloys. GU et al [18] reported that the ultimate oscillating scanning. Microstructure observations,
tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) of micropore analysis and mechanical properties tests
WAAM-CMT AA2219 are 260 and 126 MPa, are adapted to reveal the influence of deposition
respectively. Accordingly, they improved the UTS strategy. The deposition strategy acting as an
and YS of WAAM AA2219 to 450 and 305 MPa, important parameter will be helpful to manufacture
respectively, by T6 heat treatment process and WAAM large aluminum alloy components.
interlayer rolling method. MIAO et al [19]
demonstrated that the UTS and YS of the WAAM 2 Experimental
AA4043 are 152 and 70 MPa, respectively, and
were enhanced by laser-arc-hybrid additive The WAAM system mainly comprised a
manufacturing process to 164 and 76 MPa, Fronius CMT welding machine, a wire feeder, and a
respectively. SU et al [12] reported that the UTS three-axis CNC machine. The ER5356 alloy filler
and YS of the WAAM AA5356 are 255 and wire with 1.2 mm in diameter and 6061-T6
128 MPa, respectively, and WAAM-CMT AA5356 aluminum alloy plate as substrate with 200 mm ×
components have a better mechanical performance 200 mm × 15 mm were used. Table 1 listed the
compared to 5356 casting alloys. KLEIN et al [20] elemental compositions of the wire and substrate.
applied the T6 heat treatment process to improve Before processing, all substrates were cleaned with
the UTS and YS of WAAM AA6063 from 161 and acetone and a steel brush, and the filler wire was
81 MPa to 287 and 266 MPa, respectively. However, maintained dry. The experimental parameters were
plasticity decreases by about 70% in the meantime. as follows: The travelling speed was 600 mm/min,
There are various studies concerning the the wire feeding speed was 7.3 m/min, the contact
parameters adjustment for the mechanical tip-to-work distance was kept at 10 mm, the waiting
properties of WAAM components improvement; time was 60 s, the Z-increment value was set to be
however, few studies focus on the deposition 3 mm, and 99.999% argon with 25 L/min flow rate
strategies. CABALLERO et al [21] conducted was employed. The samples deposited 10 layers
experiments to determine the effects of varying respectively using three deposition strategies, each
process parameters on microstructures and layer being a square with a side length of 160 mm.
mechanical properties of 17-4 PH stainless steel The first four layers were preheating layers, and
components, including different deposition the fifth to tenth layers were used to obtain
strategies (single, oscillating, and parallel scanning). microstructure and microhardness of the samples.
SYED et al [22] investigated the effects of two Figure 1 showed WAAM AA5356 components.
different deposition strategies, oscillating and parallel Figure 1(b) showed the WAAM components using
strategies, on the tensile and the high-cycle fatigue three deposition strategies. Reciprocating scanning
properties of WAAM Ti−6Al−4V alloys. The results (RS) meant that the deposition direction between
showed that the oscillating strategy samples have adjacent welds was the same, parallel to the Y-axis
lower fatigue strength than parallel pass strategy direction, while the deposition direction of the
samples. On the one hand, XU et al [23] compared adjacent deposition layer was opposite. Oscillating
 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434 425
Table 1 Chemical compositions of ER5356 welding wire and AA6061 substrate (wt.%)
Material Mg Zn Cu Si Fe Mn Cr Ti Al
AA6061 1.13 0.004 0.23 0.593 0.29 0.05 0.19 0.031 Bal.
ER5356 4.80 0.010 0.01 0.040 0.11 0.14 0.10 0.085 Bal.

Fig. 1 WAAM AA5356 components: (a) Sampling position and sizes of metallographic and tensile samples;
(b) Deposition strategies and physical drawings of WAAM AA5356 components

scanning (OS) strategy referred to the continuous calculated. Macroscopic metallography was
deposition of each sedimentary layer without arc taken along the ZOY plane in WAAM AA5356
extinguishing, and the arc starting point of adjacent components to analyze the microhardness. A
sedimentary layers was opposite to the arc scanning electron microscope (SEM, FEI
extinguishing point. Vertical scanning (VS) strategy Quanta650) was equipped with energy disperse
meant that each sedimentary layer was deposited spectroscopy (EDS, OXFORD Ultim Extreme) to
through oscillatory scan. The scanning paths of reveal delicate structures. The micropores within
adjacent sedimentary layers were perpendicular to the WAAM samples were examined using X-ray
each other (the red dot represents the arc starting diffraction topography (XRT) equipment (Xradia V
point, and the green dot represents the arc ERSA XRM−500 system). Cube samples with a
extinguishing point). volume of 1 mm3 were respectively taken from
Figure 1(a) showed the WAAM process, the bottom to top of XRT samples. XRT was used
sampling position, and size of metallography and to perform a series of image processing analyses
tensile samples. Tensile samples were taken from with the open source P3 and P3B software. The
three directions: parallel to the X-axis (marked as X), 16-bit images were converted to 8-bit with a
parallel to the Y-axis (marked as Y), and the 45° grayscale value ranging from 0 to 255. After
between the XY axis (marked as 45°), and tensile cropping into the appropriate size of each image,
samples of each direction were taken from the the visualization tool software Avizo was
bottom (the 1st layer and the 2nd layer), the middle introduced to reconstruct 3D distribution images of
(the 3rd layer and the 4th layer) and the top (the 5th micropores and microstructures. To suppress errors
layer and the 6th layer). Optical microscope (OM) originating from image noise, micropores
samples were mechanically ground to 2000 grit SiC containing >238 voxels or equivalent diameters
paper and polished with 1 μm adamantine plaster. of >5 μm were counted for quantitative analysis.
Samples were etched at 20 V in a 2.5 wt.% HBF4 The micro-hardness was measured by a Zwick
solution for 60 s to investigate the microstructure. Roell indented ZHV2 system using a 0.3 mm
The microstructures were observed via OM distance between indentations. The tensile tests
(Keyence VHX−6000) under polarized light. The were performed using an Instron 3367 electronic
grain sizes were measured by Image J software. The universal material testing machine with a 30 kN
dimensions of each grain were depicted along the load cell at a 1 mm/min deformation rate and room
grain boundary, and the areas of each grain were temperature.
426 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434
direction because grain growth is usually in the
3 Results and discussion same direction as heat dissipation, as shown in
Fig. 3(h). The microstructures of the bottom region
3.1 Macrostructure and microstructure mainly consist of equiaxed grains, and the size of
Figure 2 shows the macroscopic metallography equiaxed grains is small. The microstructures of the
of WAAM AA5356 components with three middle region are still dominated by equiaxed
deposition strategies. The remelting interface is grains. The number of columnar grains increases,
easy to identify. The height of each layer under and the size of equiaxed grains increases. The
the three deposition strategies is roughly the same. microstructures of the top region are significantly
As shown in Figs. 2(a−c), the samples of the different from those of the bottom region.
three deposition strategies have a certain number Figure 4 shows the grain sizes of WAAM
of micropore defects. Besides, most micropores AA5356 components with each deposition strategy
are located in the interlayer area. Micropores in bottom, middle, and top regions. The grain
generally exist in three forms: regular round, diameter of WAAM AA5356 components increases
irregular void, and chain-like, mainly due to the with increasing the deposition height. The average
deposition of hydrogen and impurities in the welding grain size of components with RS strategy increases
wire [25,26]. from 79.17 to 96.75 μm, and the growth rate is
Figure 3 shows microstructure characteristics 22.20%. The average grain size of components with
of WAAM components with three deposition OS strategy increases from 84.84 to 117.86 μm, and
strategies, respectively. The micro-structures of the growth rate is 38.92%. The average grain size of
WAAM AA5356 components with three deposition aluminum alloy components with VS strategy
strategies are mainly equiaxed grains, with a small increases from 86.60 to 104.74 μm, and the growth
number of columnar grains distributed. These rate is 20.94%. The grain size in the bottom region
columnar grains grow in the temperature gradient is mainly concentrated within 70−90 μm. With

Fig. 2 Macroscopic metallographs of WAAM AA5356 components: (a−c) Polish state for RS, OS and VS strategies,
respectively; (d−f) Corrosion state for RS, OS and VS strategies, respectively
 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434 427

Fig. 3 Microstructures of WAAM AA5356 components: (a−c) Top grain with RS, OS and VS strategies, respectively;
(d−f) Middle grain with RS, OS and VS strategies, respectively; (g−i) Bottom grain with RS, OS and VS strategies,
respectively

increasing the deposition height, large size grains in all directions. With the increase of deposition
(170−200 μm) appear, and the proportion gradually height, the heat accumulation effect of WAAM
increases, increasing the overall average grain size, gradually enhances the preheating effect of the
especially the process from the bottom grain to the lower layer on the upper layer. The heat
middle grain of WAAM AA5356 component with accumulation indirectly increases the heat input of
OS strategy, as shown in Figs. 4(e, h). To better upper layer and improves the overall temperature of
represent the change in grain size, the Gaussian the molten pool. Due to the high-temperature
function is used to fit the histogram into a curve, existence time of liquid metal and the slow cooling
and the formula is as follows: rate, the grain sizes become large [28].
(1) Compared with the RS strategy, the average
G
= d A exp[( G s − B ) 2 / ( − 2 C 2 )]
grain sizes of components with OS and VS
where grain distribution is defined as the Gd, grain strategies are larger. Due to RS strategy continuous
size is defined as the Gs, and A, B, and C are the arc initiation and extinction in the WAAM process,
coefficients of the Gaussian function. The value of the overall composition has low heat input and
A is the most extensive grain distribution, B is the low-temperature gradient, resulting in small grain
grain size of the largest grain distribution, and C is size. There is no arc extinction in the WAAM
the uniformity of grain size distribution. process with OS and VS strategies, resulting in too
The heat accumulation effect of the additive high heat input, large temperature gradient, and
manufacturing process is the main reason for the large grain size. Because the deposition paths under
microstructure transformation. In the early stage of OS strategy are identical, the heat accumulation of
WAAM, strong heat absorption and dissipation VS strategy is more dispersed than that of OS
occurred on the substrate surface under the action strategy, and the grain growth has no obvious
of high-temperature arc, resulting in large direction.
undercooling [27]. The substrate has more grain In addition, the electromagnetic force of
nucleus. The grain nucleus competes when growing CMT-advanced mode is larger than that of other
428 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434

Fig. 4 Grain size distributions of WAAM AA5356 components: (a−c) Top grain with RS, OS and VS strategies,
respectively; (d−f) Middle grain with RS, OS and VS strategies, respectively; (g−i) Bottom grain with RS, OS and VS
strategies, respectively

mode which means stronger stirring effect on the Consequently, the columnar dendrites cannot
melt pool, resulting in smaller grain size [29]. Since continue to grow. The impacted dendrites are
the electric arc creates electromagnetic force and partially molten [31]. Therefore, the microstructure
plasma flow force, those forces prompt melt flow of the samples in the CMT-advanced mode is the
in melt pool and change with arc current and its uniform equiaxed grain.
waveform [29,30]. According to the principle of
electromagnetic induction, the directions of the 3.2 Micropores
forces change with the electrode polarity or the Aluminum alloy is one of the alloys more
direction of the arc current. The solidification prone to porosity during WAAM. Porosity is one of
process of melt pool which produces the the internal defects that usually adversely affect
microstructure depends on these forces. The the fatigue, strength, and toughness of aluminum
growing columnar dendrites based on the previous alloy [32]. Hydrogen in the aluminum alloy is
grain lattice are impacted by the strong oscillation considered the main factor for forming micropores
stirring from the dramatically changed forces. in the WAAM process. As the temperature
 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434 429
decreases, the hydrogen solubility of liquid micropores. In addition, due to the large heat input
aluminum decreases rapidly, almost 20 times higher with OS and VS strategies, the liquid molten pool is
than that of solid aluminum [33]. Because the exposed to the air for a longer time, and most of the
insoluble hydrogen in aluminum is discharged hydrogen will escape before solidification.
from the solid−liquid interface to the surrounding Coarsening and Ostwald ripening, which may
liquid, the hydrogen is supersaturated, and finally increase the size and roundness of micropores, are
micropores are formed in the solidified metal. inevitable for micropores in aluminum alloys
XRT experiments on components with RS, OS during high-temperature exposure. However, due to
and VS strategies were carried out. Due to the their different evolution behaviors, coarsening and
resolution, the micropores with an equivalent Ostwald ripening are not predominant for the
diameter of less than 4 μm are not marked. Figure 5 evolution of micropores in the various sections of
shows the experimental results. The equivalent WAAM Al alloys. Figure 6 shows three typical
diameter of the micropores is mainly concentrated shapes of micropores. The formation of micropores
at 5−20 μm. Figure 5(a) show that there exist rare during deposition involves three main mechanisms
micropores with a size larger than 100 μm in all based on the typical shapes. Firstly, micropores
samples. As shown in Fig. 5(b), the average with near-spherical shapes are formed by entrapped
diameter of the micropore with the RS strategy is hydrogen [25], as shown in Fig. 6(a). The
the largest (8.53 μm). The average diameter of the mechanism is the formation of hydrogen
micropore with VS strategy is the smallest (6.84 μm) micropores during the solidification process. The
This is mainly due to a certain number of supersaturated hydrogen atoms precipitate as
micropores with VS strategy whose diameter is less molecules, and the shape of the micropores
than 5 μm. As shown in Figs. 5(c−e), the porosity becomes increasingly rounded during the deposition
with RS, OS and VS strategies is 0.883%, 0.703%, process due to the internal pressure of the
and 0.481%, respectively. This is because the RS micropores against the surface tension. Secondly,
strategy is an intermittent arc initiation and micropores with rough surface morphology are
extinguishing process, which results in a large gap formed by the wire’s impurities [26], as shown
between adjacent molten pools and easy to produce in Fig. 6(b). The particles and dendrites provide

Fig. 5 Scattering diagram of equivalent diameter micropores (a); distribution diagram of micropores with RS, OS and
VS strategies (b); 3D views of micropores with RS, OS and VS strategies (c−e)
430 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434

Fig. 6 Typical shapes of micropores: (a) Near-spherical micropore; (b) Rough surface micropore; (c) Chain-like
micrpore

energetically favorable sites for the heterogeneous which is due to the aggregation of some micropores
nucleation of hydrogen micropores during the in the top region with OS strategy, as shown in
solidification. The nucleated micropores grow with Fig. 2(b) and Fig. 7(b).
dendrite expansion, thereby appearing irregular Therefore, the microhardness distribution of
in-wall structure. Lastly, the chain-like micropores these samples is further detected to analyze
have additional time to float, grow and combine the difference. Overall, the microhardness of the
with other micropores during deposition, as shown components is uniform, which has a particular
in Fig. 6(c). A considerable number of primary relationship with the uniformity of the micro-
micropores that originally grow along dendrite structure. The microhardness also shows the
arms aggregate into a chain or coarsen to larger stratification phenomenon. In the deposition state,
ones [34]. Moreover, the bottom and middle regions the distribution of micropores is dispersed, and the
experience additional heat cycles that act as a second phase is relatively uniform, so the difference
post-heat treatment for the previously deposited between microhardnesses is not very obvious.
metals. Additional heat-induced secondary micro- However, due to the high porosity with the RS
pores and volume voids caused by dissolving strategy, the microhardness of the whole sample is
eutectic phases are generated. low. The microhardness value of the sample is also
related to the microstructure. With the increase in
3.3 Microhardness deposition height, the heat dissipation rate of the
Figures 7(a−c) show the microhardness map of deposition layer slows down, and the grain grows.
WAAM AA5356 components with three deposition Moreover, the grain size in the bottom region
strategies, and Figs. 7(d−f) show the microhardness is significantly smaller than that in the top region,
distribution of these WAAM samples along which leads to the downward trend of the micro-
deposition direction. The average microhardness hardness value of the sample. The top region is
values of WAAM AA5356 components with RS, open to the air and dissipates heat faster than the
OS, and VS strategies are HV 73.39, HV 75.52, and middle region. There are many micropores at the
HV 76.16, respectively. The results indicate that the top of the preheating layer, which corresponds to
samples with OS and VS strategies have higher the low microhardness value of the region. The
microhardness. The microhardness value along the highest microhardness value with VS strategy is
deposition height fluctuates to different degrees due to the adjustment of the deposition path,
under different deposition strategies. The micro- resulting in the interactive thermal effect of
hardness values with RS strategy are stable, while components in the deposition process, thus leading
those with OS and VS strategies fluctuate to the formation of predominantly equiaxed grains
considerably. The microhardness values with OS and the minimal occurrence of porosity. According
and VS strategies show a downward trend along the to the Hall−Petch relationship, the smaller the
deposition direction. In contrast, the microhardness grain size, the greater the microhardness value.
values with OS strategy decrease in the top region, According to the data in Fig. 4 and Fig. 7, the RS
 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434 431

Fig. 7 Microhardness map and its distribution of WAAM AA5356 components: (a−c) Microhardness map with RS, OS
and VS strategies, respectively; (d−f) Microhardness distribution with RS, OS and VS strategies, respectively

strategy has the smallest grain size, but its OS and VS strategies are 41.27% and 40.21%
microhardness value is the lowest, in which the higher than that with RS strategy, respectively.
combined effect of fine grain strengthening and However, the tensile properties in the three directions
porosity defects on microhardness can be explained. are pretty different, which indicates that no matter
The difference in grain diameter between the three the deposition strategy, the component has anisotropic
deposition strategies is about 15 μm, which is not tensile properties during the deformation.
significant for a component with an original grain For the same deposition strategy, the tensile
diameter of about 80 μm. While the porosity is performance of the sample in the X-direction is the
reduced from 0.883% to 0.481%, the density of best, and that of the sample in the Y-direction is the
the component is significantly increased, and the worst. As shown in Fig. 8(d), this is mainly because
microhardness is also improved. the tensile loading direction of the sample in the
Y-direction is perpendicular to the molten pool
3.4 Tensile properties interface, and there are aggregated micropores
Figures 8(a−c) illustrate the ultimate tensile or even thermal cracks at the molten pool interface,
strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and elongation which is the weakest position of the whole
results of WAAM AA5356 components with three component [15]. It is well known that under
deposition strategies in different tensile directions. uniaxial tensile loading, plastic deformation of
There is no significant difference in the tensile metals preferentially occurs along slip planes
results between the OS and VS strategies, and the oriented at 45° with respect to the loading direction,
tensile properties with RS strategy are the worst where shear stress reaches its maximum value [35].
among the three deposition strategies. The UTS The tensile strength is increased by a strengthening
with OS and VS strategies are 28.39% and 34.32% mechanism to stop the dislocation slip that leads
higher than that with RS strategy, the YS with OS to the plastic deformation. Therefore, the tensile
and VS strategies are 15.23% and 3.81% higher performance of the sample in the Y-direction is the
than that with RS strategy, and the elongations with worst. For different deposition strategies, compared
432 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434

Fig. 8 Tensile properties of WAAM AA5356 components with RS, OS, and VS strategies in different tensile directions:
(a) X-direction; (b) Y-direction; (c) 45°-direction; (d) Diagrams of different tensile directions

with OS and VS strategies, the tensile properties (2) The VS strategy effectively reduces the
with RS strategy only reach the properties of porosity from 0.883% to 0.481%, which is
ordinary cast 5356 aluminum alloy [36], which is attributed to the melt pool overlap.
mainly due to a large number of micropores in the (3) The grain size increases while the micro-
components. At the same time, the grain size with hardness decreases owing to the heat accumulation
RS strategy is the smallest among the three effect. The microhardnesses of the three deposition
deposition strategies samples. For Al−Mg−Mn strategies samples are almost uniform. The
alloys, the larger the grain is, the longer the distance minimum porosity and the smallest micropore are
between grain boundaries is, the more freely the obtained with the VS strategy, leading to the best
dislocation moves in the grain structure, and the mechanical properties.
better the ductility is [37]. Therefore, the tensile (4) The tensile properties with VS strategy in
properties with RS strategy are the worst. the X-direction are optimal, with an increase in UTS,
YS and elongation of 34.32%, 3.81% and 40.21%,
4 Conclusions respectively, compared with those with RS strategy
in the X-direction.
(1) The microstructures of the WAAM
AA5356 components with three deposition CRediT authorship contribution statement
strategies mainly consist of equiaxed and columnar Kai ZHU: Data curation, Writing − Original
grains. The grain sizes with OS and VS strategies draft preparation; Jian WANG: Conceptualization,
are 21.82% and 8.26% larger than that with RS Methodology, Writing – Review & editing; Wei-chen
strategy, respectively. Higher heat inputs and ZHANG: Data curation, Visualization; Xiao-lei ZHU:
slower cooling rates with OS and VS strategies Resources, Investigation; Xiao-feng LU: Supervision,
result in coarser grain. Writing – Review & editing.
 Kai ZHU, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 34(2024) 423−434 433
Declaration of competing interest manufacturing of mild steel: Strategies and heat input effect
on microstructure and mechanical properties [J]. Journal of
We declare that we have no financial and personal
Manufacturing Processes, 2020, 58: 615−626.
relationships with other people or organizations that can [10] LUO Yi, LI Jing-long, XU Jie, ZHU Liang, HAN Jing-tao,
inappropriately influence our work. There is no ZHANG Cheng-yang. Influence of pulsed arc on the metal
professional or other personal interest of any nature or droplet deposited by projected transfer mode in wire-arc
additive manufacturing [J]. Journal of Materials Processing
kind in any product, service and/or company that could
and Technology, 2018, 259: 353−360.
be construed as influencing the position presented in, or [11] WAGIMAN A, BIN WAHAB M S, MOHID Z, MAMAT A.
the review of, the manuscript entitled. Effect of GMAW-CMT heat input on weld bead profile
geometry for freeform fabrication of aluminium parts [J].
Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2013, 465/466:
Acknowledgments
1370−1374.
This research was supported by the Postgraduate [12] SU Chuan-chu, CHEN Xi-zhang, GAO Chuang, WANG
Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Yang-fan. Effect of heat input on microstructure and
Province, China (No. KYCX22_1311), the Natural mechanical properties of Al−Mg alloys fabricated by
Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (No. WAAM [J]. Applied Surface Science, 2019, 486: 431−440.
[13] BAI J Y, FAN C L, LIN S B, YANG C L, DONG B L.
BK20190684), and the Natural Science Research of the Effects of thermal cycles on microstructure evolution of
Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (No. 2219-Al during GTA-additive manufacturing [J]. The
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[14] XIONG Jun, LEI Yang-yang, CHEN Hui, ZHANG
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沉积策略对电弧增材制造 5356 铝合金

显微组织、缺陷和力学性能的影响
朱 凯，王 健，张炜辰，朱晓磊，陆晓峰

南京工业大学 机械与动力工程学院，南京 211816

摘 要：基于电弧增材制造技术(WAAM)研究往复扫描(RS)、振荡扫描(OS)和垂直扫描(VS) 3 种沉积策略对 5356

铝合金(AA5356)构件的影响，探讨 5356 铝合金构件的显微组织、缺陷和力学性能。结果表明：相比于 RS 和 OS
策略，VS 策略使得构件的热量分布均匀。VS 策略的显微组织主要由等轴晶组成，使得显微硬度最高值达到
HV 77.25。VS 策略使得构件的气孔率和微孔尺寸分别下降了 45.52%和 19.81%，从而改善了拉伸性能。因此，VS
策略为获得显微组织均匀、力学性能优异的 AA5356 构件提供了一种新的解决方案。
关键词：电弧增材制造；沉积策略；铝合金；显微组织；力学性能
(Edited by Wei-ping CHEN)