Case study report on design, manufacturing and digital twinning of a DED-arc steel node for construction

Abstract This report presents a comprehensive investigation into the design, manufacturing, and evaluation of DED-arc (also known as Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing - WAAM) Y-node for the construction industry. Focusing on the challenges of slicing and manufacturing strategy, the study highlights the relationship between geometric freedom, path planning complexity, and manufacturing optimization. It emphasizes the importance of early consideration of manufacturing process constraints to enhance design efficiency. The integration of design, manufacturing process, and geometry data within a Digital Twin (DT) structure is thoroughly explored. Moreover, the paper demonstrates the role of DT data in predicting component behavior, offering insights into stress distribution predictions influenced by manufacturing strategy. This research contributes to advancing methods for component behavior analysis and optimization, with significant implications for the construction industry.