Metals, Vol. 15, Pages 1110: Fatigue Strength Study of WAAM-Fabricated Shafts with Stacked Steel Ring Substrates Using Advanced Modeling

Metals doi: 10.3390/met15101110

Authors:
Pham Son Minh
Quang Tri Truong
Van-Minh Nguyen

This study investigates the fatigue performance of 3D-printed metal shafts fabricated via Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) with stacked steel ring substrates under rotating bending (ISO 1143:2021). A Taguchi L25 orthogonal array was used to analyze five process parameters: ring diameter, current intensity, torch speed, ring thickness, and contact tip to workpiece distance (CTWD). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) identified ring diameter as the dominant factor, significantly enhancing fatigue life at 14.0 mm by reducing stress concentrations. Current intensity (125 A) and torch speed (550 mm/min) further improve weld quality and microstructure, while ring thickness (1.0 mm) and CTWD (1.5 mm) have minor effects. A linear regression model (R2 = 0.9603) accurately predicts fatigue life, with optimal settings yielding 299,730 cycles. The stacked-ring configuration enables intricate structures like cooling channels, ideal for aerospace and automotive applications. The 3.5% unexplained variance suggests parameter interactions, warranting further investigation into shielding gas effects and multiaxial loading to broaden material and loading applicability.

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Pham Son Minh www.mdpi.com