Continuous and Pulse TIG Arc Treatment for Surface Hardening of WAAM-MIG Parts

Continuous and pulse TIG arc treatment of MIG-based wire arc additive manufactured (WAAM-MIG) parts has been investigated. A hybrid method is proposed for selective surface hardening applications. It presents an opportunity for immediate heat treatment in the WAAM process, thereby enhancing overall workflow effectiveness. The influence of peak current, base current, and pulse frequency was studied on surface hardness, depth of hardened region, and cooling rate. A maximum hardness of 428 HV was achieved, yielding an increase of 71