Hybrid Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing Method Using Pulsed Arc Plasma

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology
• Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing

Background:

• Integrating additive and subtractive manufacturing processes is crucial for advanced component fabrication.
• Pulsed arc plasma (PAP) offers a versatile thermal source for both additive and subtractive techniques.
• Dry machining processes are desirable to eliminate working fluids and associated environmental concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing (PAP-HASM) method.
• To investigate the integration of pulsed arc plasma wire arc additive manufacturing (PAP-WAAM) and dry electrical discharge machining (EDM) milling.
• To assess the impact of the recast layer from dry EDM milling on the mechanical properties and surface quality of fabricated components.

Main Methods:

• Development of the PAP-HASM process by combining PAP-WAAM (additive) and dry EDM milling (subtractive).
• Utilized a flexible pulsed arc plasma power supply and interchangeable tool electrodes for process switching.
• Fabricated and tested 316L stainless steel specimens using the developed PAP-HASM method.

Main Results:

• PAP-HASM specimens demonstrated excellent tensile properties, comparable to PAP-WAAM specimens (UTS: 539 ± 8 MPa, Elongation: 46 ± 4%).
• The recast layer formed during dry EDM milling did not significantly degrade the mechanical properties of the 316L stainless steel components.
• Components fabricated by PAP-HASM exhibited significantly improved surface roughness compared to those made solely by PAP-WAAM.

Conclusions:

• The developed PAP-HASM process effectively integrates additive and subtractive manufacturing using pulsed arc plasma.
• The hybrid method produces components with high tensile properties and superior surface finish.
• PAP-HASM is a promising dry machining technique for fabricating high-performance components without adverse effects from the recast layer.