AA5083 (Al–Mg) plates produced by wire-and-arc additive manufacturing: effect of specimen orientation on microstructure and tensile properties

Abstract Among various additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, wire-and-arc (WAAM) is one of the most suitable for production large-scale metallic components, also suggesting possible applications in construction field. Several research activities have been devoted to WAAM steels and titanium alloys and, recently, application aluminum has explored. This paper presents microstructural mechanical characterization plates produced using a commercial ER 5183 welding wire. The aim evaluate anisotropic behavior under tensile stress planar elements, considering three different extraction directions relation deposition layer: longitudinal (L), transversal (T) diagonal (D). Compositional, morphological, fractographic analyses were carried out relate specific features induced by properties. An was found regard specimen orientation, with lowest strength ductility on T specimens. Reasoning this presence discontinuities unfavorably oriented direction. results tests highlighted an overall good behavior, comparable that conventional AA5083-O sheets, future use realization very complex geometries optimized shapes lightweight structural applications.