Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a technique that applies arc welding. Since it involves layer-by-layer deposition of weld beads to perform additive manufacturing (AM), it is well suited for relatively large parts used in general industrial machinery. In particular, it is appropriate for AM of impeller blades used in industrial pumps and other equipment. Research on WAAM for impellers is being conducted at various institutions. However, many of these studies evaluate single materials, and there is limited research on evaluating multi-material applications, which is a problem.

In this study, the focus was on the multi-materialization of SS316L, an industrial stainless steel and IN718, a representative high-strength material. The feasibility of multi-material blades was investigated through the development of impellers, and tensile tests were conducted on multi-material test pieces. Based on these results, the industrial application potential of multi-materialization was discussed.

The processes of WAAM and machining experimentally demonstrated that it is possible to manufacture multi-material axial flow impellers. In addition, the experimental results of the mechanical properties of multi-material test pieces were equivalent to or greater than the tensile strength of SS316L in industrial standards. Therefore, it can be concluded that this combination of multi-materialization is suitable for industrial applications.