Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)

WAAM Multi-Planar + Conformal

Overview

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) uses welding processes — MIG, TIG, or plasma — to build large metal parts layer by layer. It’s the most cost-effective DED process for large components, but demands sophisticated toolpath planning to manage heat input, distortion, and metallurgical quality.

Multi-Axis Advantages

Build Direction Control

WAAM parts often require multiple build directions within a single part. Multi-planar slicing lets you change the deposition angle to handle overhangs, internal features, and complex geometries without support structures.

Conformal Repair

WAAM is widely used for repair operations — rebuilding worn dies, turbine blades, and structural components. Conformal slicing generates layers that follow the existing part surface, ensuring good metallurgical bonding.

Heat Management

The slicer’s toolpath strategies include idle time control and alternating direction patterns that help manage heat input — critical for maintaining material properties in WAAM parts.

Supported Equipment

The 5 Axis Slicer integrates with all major robot brands used in WAAM:

  • ABB
  • KUKA
  • Yaskawa
  • FANUC
  • Universal Robots

All postprocessors are open-source, so you can adapt the output for your specific welding system and torch configuration.