Page 28 - MSAM-4-3

Materials Science in

Additive Manufacturing

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Numerical simulation and experimental

characterization of a single-seam plasma wire
arc additive manufacturing process for Ti-6Al-4V

1,2
3
Martin Bielik * , Erich Neubauer 2 , Michael Kitzmantel 2 , Ingo Neubauer ,
and Ernst Kozeschnik 1
1 Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty for Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
2 RHP-Technology GmbH, RHP Group, Research and Technology Center, Seibersdorf, Lower
Austria, Austria
3 Division of Manufacturing Intelligence, Hexagon GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

Abstract

Arc welding processes are increasingly being used in the additive manufacturing
of metal components. Physics-based modeling of welding processes enables the
study of welding parameter effects on the final weld shape, residual stress state, and
distortion, helping to improve weld quality and reduce costs. However, the quality of
*Corresponding author: the process simulation strongly depends on the mathematical description of the heat
Martin Bielik source. The parameters of the heat source model have a significant influence on the
(martin.bielik@gmx.at)
temperature field and, consequently, on the distortion and residual stress fields. This
Citation: Bielik M, paper presents a trial-and-error method for determining the parameters for Goldak’s
Neubauer E, Kitzmantel M,
Neubauer I, Kozeschnik E. double-ellipsoidal heat source model. The transient temperature distribution and
Numerical simulation and the size of the melt pool are determined through experimental studies. Numerical
experimental characterization of models are then set up in Simufact Welding 8.0 with a set of heat source parameters
a single-seam plasma wire arc
additive manufacturing process for to reproduce the experimental trials. By comparing numerical finite element results
Ti-6Al-4V. Mater Sci Add Manuf. with experimental results, the heat source parameters for a multi-pass additive
2025;4(3):025140021 manufacturing process are successfully calibrated and identified.
doi: 10.36922/MSAM025140021
Received: April 3, 2025
Keywords: Wire arc additive manufacturing; Finite element method; Heat source model;
Revised: April 30, 2025 Melt pool; Ti6Al4V
Accepted: May 2, 2025
Published online: June 17,
2025 1. Introduction
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article Additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the most innovative and transformative
distributed under the terms of manufacturing processes. According to the International Organization for
the Creative Commons
Attribution License, permitting Standardization/American Society for Testing and Materials 52900, wire arc additive
distribution, and reproduction in manufacturing (WAAM) is classified as a directed energy deposition process, in which
any medium, provided the focused thermal energy is used to fuse materials by melting them as they are deposited.
1
original work is properly cited.
Among various AM technologies, WAAM stands out as a novel approach that enables
Publisher’s Note: AccScience high deposition rates and facilitates the production of large, near-net-shape components
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in at relatively low process costs. In addition, WAAM offers a high buy-to-fly ratio, making
published maps and institutional it particularly advantageous for aerospace and other high-performance applications. 2-4
affiliations.

Volume 4 Issue 3 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/MSAM025140021