Researchers from the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) and TECNALIA have published a new study analysing how different GMAW-based WAAM deposition modes affect the microstructure, hardness, wear resistance and corrosion behaviour of Al5356 aluminium walls. The work compares pulsed GMAW, Cold Arc and Pulsed AC operating modes, revealing that deposition strategy significantly influences grain size, porosity and corrosion performance.
The results show that the Pulsed AC mode achieved the best corrosion resistance due to its lower porosity and reduced grain boundary density, while wear behaviour remained similar across all tested conditions. The findings contribute to the optimisation of WAAM process parameters for large-scale aluminium components in sectors such as aerospace, automotive and shipbuilding.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36922/MSAM026110018
