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Titanium Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Inert Enclosure and Material Handling Safety Considerations

Publication Type
Conference Paper
Book Title
35th Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) Symposium โ€“ An Additive Manufacturing Conference
Publication Date
Page Numbers
1632 to 1640
Publisher Location
Austin, Texas, United States of America
Conference Name
Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium
Conference Location
Austin, Texas, United States of America
Conference Sponsor
TMS
Conference Date

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) via metal inert gas (MIG)/gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a viable option for fabrication of large-scale titanium parts; however, it introduces new safety hazards associated with both the material and the additional system hardware required for the process. Localized gas shielding of the weld arc via standard GMAW torch is inadequate for titanium due to its affinity for oxygen; thereby requiring the use of an inert enclosure to protect the weld from entraining oxygen. The use of the inert enclosure presents potential safety hazards such as operator asphyxiation and brings up discussion of confined space considerations. In addition, the titanium welding process creates pyrophoric titanium soot residue around the deposit, which can undergo deflagration during part cleaning and part removal. This paper provides an overview of the titanium WAAM process along with safety considerations for the design and operation of the inert enclosure as well as functional solutions for the safe handling of the titanium soot by-product.