Exploring Heterogeneous Steel Alloys Through Multi-Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

This study explores the innovative fabrication of heterogeneous steel alloys using an in-house developed multi-wire arc additive manufacturing (M-WAAM) setup based on gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). This study creates alloy compositions with specialized mechanical properties by combining the unique properties of mild steel (ER70S-6) and stainless steel 304 grade (SS-304). This multi-wire setup makes it possible to deposit both materials simultaneously, introducing a novel uniformity and versatility to the alloy fabrication process. The compatibility of ER70S-6 and SS-304 during the deposition process is examined. It focuses on changing the wire feed rate (WFR) of these filler wires to alter their phase composition, and it also looks at how these phase changes affect the mechanical properties of the heterogeneous steel alloy. The results demonstrate that a higher proportion of the austenite phase significantly enhances ultimate tensile strength and hardness. This improvement in mechanical properties was achieved by effectively combining the unique attributes of ER70S-6 and SS-304, resulting in a heterogeneous steel alloy.