Residual stress distribution of a large component manufactured by AM-DED-Arc from high-strength weld filler material X90

Currently, DED-Arc manufactured components are not covered by design guidelines, and design factors such as residual stress factors are not defined for such components. This hinders industrial use, especially for components with a remaining surface waviness required by industry. For the first time the stress state of a high-strength, low-alloy, large-scale DED-Arc component was characterised in the as-built state and after cutting off the component from the substrate plate. Complementary methods of residual stress analyses were applied to gain a holistic insight into the residual stress distributions of a thick-walled part. In the as-built state, direction-dependent and position-dependent tensile residual stresses were found for the component at the level of the yield strength of the part. The additive manufacturing strategy continuous spiral deposition has no significant influence on the residual stresses in bead threshold area compared to the residual stresses of the remaining component. For this case, bead threshold is no structural imperfection. By removing the part from the substrate plate, the residual stresses are significantly redistributed. Tensile residual stresses are then present at a moderate level. Compressive residual stresses were determined in the volume of the deposited material. The general consideration of “high” tensile residual stresses in such thick-walled components is rather conservative. Therefore, design guidelines should take the manufacturing condition into account.