Comprehensive analysis of arc methods of 3D printing of metal products: assessment of the efficiency and prospects of using TIG as a heat source

Abstract

In recent years, additive technologies have become increasingly important for the production of parts with complex geometries, enabling the rapid and efficient creation of objects with different shapes and configurations in industrial sectors such as medicine, aerospace and construction. The focus of the study was the analysis of arc processes for additive manufacturing, particularly through non-consumable electrode welding in an inert gas environment (TIG) and its applications as a heat source. Modern methods of 3D printing metal products, such as SLM (Selective Laser Melting), EBM (Electron Beam Melting), and LMD (Laser Metal Deposition), allow the production of parts with good quality indicators: accuracy, surface roughness, mechanical properties, and others. However, these methods are expensive due to the technological complexity of the equipment, and a weakness of these methods is their low productivity compared to arc methods. The results presented in this article show that the productivity of arc methods in additive manufacturing is several times higher than that of SLM, EBM, and LMD, and arc methods are more cost-effective due to lower equipment costs and reduced energy consumption. The article presents the schemes of arc methods of additive manufacturing. One of the promising directions in the development of hybrid technology, namely the use of the TIG heat source for sintering metal powders, offers an effective way to reduce the cost of additive manufacturing by replacing the laser as a heat source, while allowing the continued use of various types of metal powders, reinforcing materials, and metal-ceramic blends.