A Review of High-Strength Aluminum-Copper Alloys Fabricated by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing: Microstructure, Properties, Defects, and Post-processing
Siyue Fan, Xuming Guo, Zhenhua Li, Jing Ma, Fei Li, Qingwei Jiang
Abstract
Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) techniques have been gaining increasing attention in the contemporary manufacturing sector due to their advantages in economically producing large-sized metallic components with relatively high deposition rates. High-strength Al-Cu alloys are widely used in aerospace, military, and automotive industries applications due to their high specific strength and excellent processability. WAAM offers an efficient way to produce large-sized high-strength Al-Cu alloy components, and the related field is rapidly evolving. This article reviews the current research for WAAM high-strength Al-Cu alloys on the manufacturing process, solidification microstructure, common defects, mechanical properties, and post-processing processes. Research findings have been positive regarding the microstructure and mechanical properties of WAAM high-strength Al-Cu alloys. Finally, this article outlines the development prospects of WAAM high-strength Al-Cu alloys based on the previous research.