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Additive manufacturing (AM) of steel structures via direct energy deposition with an electric arc (DED-Arc), also known as Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), has become increasingly prominent for engineering applications, with the process offering large build volumes, high geometric freedom, and rapid production, making it suitable for complementing semi-finished parts or fabricating nodal structures. Extensive studies have focused on characterising the material behaviour of DED-Arc printed steel. Consequently, it is important to take the scale step towards understanding component behaviour. In this study, a workflow is presented with which the full progression, from geometry acquisition and evaluation to component behaviour in testing and simulation, is assessed. Two geometrically modified circular stub columns made from high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel were manufactured, neither mechanically nor thermally post-processed, geometrically analysed, mechanically tested, and numerically simulated using finite element analysis. Structured-light 3D scanning of the internal and external surfaces of the as-built components revealed distinct variations in the geometries. In uniaxial compression tests, recorded with a four-camera DIC system, distinct local buckling was observed. There was no clear correlation between the distribution of the geometric parameters and component behaviour. The results from a geometrically and materially nonlinear analysis with imperfections (GMNIA) were validated by the experimental results.
Müggenburg et al. (Fri,) studied this question.