Study on Anisotropic Design Method for Pipe Connection Flanges Based on Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

The structural integrity and manufacturing quality of flanges directly impact the reliability and safety of industrial equipment. However, the existing design criteria are increasingly insufficient to meet the engineering requirements for new flange manufacturing methods, especially when wire arc additive manufacturing technology is applied to flange production. The inherent anisotropic characteristics of this technology significantly differ from the traditional homogeneous material assumptions, posing a serious challenge to the applicability of current design standards. This paper combines additive manufacturing technology with advanced design theory to explore the differences between WAAM and cast components, study the variation of yield stress of WAAM flanges with orientation, and reveal their anisotropic characteristics. By integrating the Hill criterion and strength design methods, this paper establishes anisotropic design criteria for WAAM flanges, and provides simulation analysis on the stress fields of isotropic and anisotropic flanges. The differences between these two types are explained, and measures to improve the design performance of WAAM flanges are proposed.