WIRE AND ARC ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF INCONEL ALLOYS: A REVIEW ON MICROSTRUCTURES, MECHANICAL PROPERTIES, AND COMMON DEFECTS

Abstract

Wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has increasingly attracted
much attention from scientists worldwide due to its ability to produce medium to
huge metallic parts with elevated material deposition rate, high material usage
efficiency, less environmental effect, and low equipment costs. Nickel-based
superalloys, especially Inconel 625 and 718, are the most popularly studied by the
additive manufacturing (AM) research community because of their superior
strength, good oxidation, and corrosion resistance. This paper provides a
comprehensive review and the internal qualities (i.e., microstructure and
mechanical characteristics) of Inconel alloys fabricated by WAAM technologies.
Common defects of as-built parts, such as cracks, porosity, deformation, residual
stress, and delamination phenomenon, which occur during the WAAM process,
and feasible methods to improve the quality of the as-built parts were also
discussed. This review paper contributes to a better understanding of the WAAM
processes of Inconel alloys.