WAAM Wire Deposition Calculator
DEDDeposition rate, bead geometry, and heat input for MIG-WAAM, TIG-WAAM, and CMT. Empirical bead geometry model based on Rodrigues et al. (2019).
ρ = 7.85 g/cm³ — Carbon and low-alloy steels. Keep interpass <250°C to avoid coarse grain growth.
Inputs
Results
407.2 cm³/h
Height 1.3 mm · AR 3.2
η = 80%
~300 s cooling/layer
Sensitivity — deposition rate vs. wire feed speed
Mass deposition rate [kg/h] for three travel speeds. Current travel speed is the middle column.
| WFS (m/min) | 225 mm/min (−25%) | 300 mm/min | 375 mm/min (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1.598 | 1.598 | 1.598 |
| 4 | 2.131 | 2.131 | 2.131 |
| 5 | 2.663 | 2.663 | 2.663 |
| 6 | 3.196 | 3.196 | 3.196 |
| 8 | 4.262 | 4.262 | 4.262 |
| 10 | 5.327 | 5.327 | 5.327 |
| 12 | 6.392 | 6.392 | 6.392 |
Deposition rate depends only on wire geometry, feed speed, and density — not travel speed. Variation across columns comes from the same inputs applied consistently. Travel speed affects heat input and bead geometry.
Formulae
Physics and empirical relations used in this calculator.
ṁ = A_wire × WFS × ρ- ṁ
- Mass deposition rate[kg/h]
- A_wire
- Wire cross-section (π × (d/2)²)[mm²]
- WFS
- Wire feed speed[mm/s]
- ρ
- Material density[g/mm³]
Volume deposition rate in mm³/s, converted to cm³/h (÷1000) and kg/h (× density × 3600 ÷ 1000).
H = (η × V × I) / v- H
- Linear heat input[J/mm]
- η
- Thermal efficiency (MIG 0.80, TIG 0.60, CMT 0.85)[—]
- V
- Arc voltage[V]
- I
- Welding current[A]
- v
- Travel speed[mm/s]
Heat input drives bead geometry. Cap at 10 J/mm for bead size extrapolation.
w = 2.5 + 0.18 × H (capped 4–18 mm)- w
- Bead width[mm]
- H_cap
- H capped at 10 J/mm[J/mm]
Empirical fit from Rodrigues et al. (2019). Bead height = w / aspect ratio (MIG 3.2, TIG 2.8, CMT 3.5).
Sources
- [1]Rodrigues, T.A. et al. — Current status and perspectives on wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) — Materials 12(7):1121, 2019
- [2]Williams, S.W. et al. — Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing — Materials Science and Technology 32(7):641–647, 2016
Related tools
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- Cost Per Part — machine, material and labour cost breakdown
- Heat Treatment Advisor — post-WAAM stress relief and annealing cycles
- Thermal Distortion — residual stress and distortion risk from heat input