Effects of loading angle and build direction on the tensile behavior of WAAM steel produced with ER70S-6 welding wire

Nguyen Thien Nhut; Nguyen Tan No; Cao Le Anh Kiet; Nguyen Van Cuong

doi:10.24036/teknomekanik.v9i3.57472

Authors

Nguyen Thien Nhut Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Vinh Long University of Technology Education, Viet Nam Author
Nguyen Tan No Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Vinh Long University of Technology Education, Viet Nam Author
Cao Le Anh Kiet Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Vinh Long University of Technology Education, Viet Nam Author
Nguyen Van Cuong Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Transport and Communications, Viet Nam Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24036/teknomekanik.v9i3.57472

Keywords:

WAAM, ER70S-6 steel, tensile strength, renewable energy, build direction, anisotropy, delamination

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of loading angle and build direction on the tensile properties of components fabricated through wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) fabricated using ER70S-6 steel. Tensile tests were conducted at four loading angles (0°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) for two build directions (flat and upright). For each loading angle and build direction, two tensile specimens were tested, and the reported values were obtained from a representative specimen for each testing condition. The results reveal that the WAAM-fabricated specimens exhibited pronounced mechanical anisotropy, with the highest tensile strength obtained when the applied load is parallel to the bead direction, followed by a considerable reduction at other loading angles. For the upright build direction, the ultimate tensile strength decreased by approximately 47% at 45⁰ relative to that at 0°, suggesting a possible contribution from interlayer shear stresses and delamination-related failure mechanisms. An empirical model was proposed to describe the dependence of tensile strength on the loading angle, enabling the quantitative evaluation of the role of different stress components. The flat build direction exhibited more stable mechanical behavior and a lower degree of anisotropy. In addition, hardness measurements showed that the variation in hardness was mainly governed by the build direction rather than the loading angle. The obtained results provide further insight into the relationship among layered structure, stress state, and mechanical properties, thereby supporting the design and application of WAAM structures subjected to multidirectional loading conditions.

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