Additive manufacturing (AM) processes are gathering momentum as an alternative to conventional manufacturing processes. A research effort is being made worldwide to identify the most promising AM approaches. Within this category, wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is among the most interesting, especially when large parts must be manufactured. In this paper, two different WAAM deposition techniques suitable for the deposition of Aluminum alloys, Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) and CMT mix drive, are analyzed and compared. With the aim of obtaining a clear picture concerning the two different techniques, microstructural analyses, mechanical property evaluation and electrical energy demand characterizations were conducted. The results revealed that both techniques allowed sound components to be manufactured and no significant differences were observed in terms of their microstructural and mechanical properties, while CMT was also found to provide a relevant energy saving. This allows the selection of the best technology taking into account not only the geometrical characteristic of the part but also the environmental impact associated to each technique.

作为传统制造工艺的替代方法，增材制造（AM）工艺正在积蓄势头。为了确定最有前途的增材制造方法，正在全球范围内进行研究。在这一类别中，电弧增材制造（WAAM）是最有趣的技术之一，尤其是当必须制造大型零件时。在本文中，分析和比较了两种适用于铝合金沉积的不同WAAM沉积技术：冷金属转移（CMT）和CMT混合驱动。为了获得有关这两种不同技术的清晰图片，进行了微结构分析，力学性能评估和电能需求表征。结果表明，两种技术均允许制造声音组件，并且在微观结构和机械性能方面未观察到明显差异，而CMT还可以节省相关能源。这样不仅可以考虑零件的几何特性，还可以考虑与每种技术相关的环境影响，从而选择最佳技术。