Investigations of Plasma Metal Deposition (PMD) of 6061 and 7075 Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace and Automotive Applications

Plasma Metal Deposition is an advanced manufacturing technique suitable for printing medium-to-large sized complex parts at high deposition rates while reducing material wastage and lead time. Aluminum alloys are one of the most commonly used metallic materials in manufacturing parts for aerospace and automotive applications due to their lightweight, excellent strength, and corrosion resistance properties. Aluminum alloys have been employed in the WAAM process to produce parts for the aerospace and automotive industries. Challenges during the manufacturing process of aluminum alloys, such as porosity or poor mechanical properties, can be overcome by using arc technologies with adaptable energy input. In this contribution, the recent progress on additive manufacturing of 6061 and 7075 aluminum alloys by Plasma Metal Deposition (PMD®) is investigated. Standard and modified feedstock compositions of the 6061 and 7075 alloys are being examined to assess the suitability of the Plasma metal Deposition process. The objectives are the evaluation of the weldability, metallurgical characteristics, mechanical properties, and hardness of the manufactured parts. Based on the presented results, the outlook aims at future industrial applications.