Wire arc additive manufacturing: A review on digital twinning and visualization process

Due to the ability to print large metal components at low cost and high deposition rate, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) has attracted much attention in aerospace, maritime and defense sectors. However, the selection of materials, fabrication method and process parameters will lead to a variety of defects, geometries, and properties that impact the serviceability of produced part. The development of digital twin (DT) technology may provide a new opportunity for upgrading WAAM to next generation, and in combination with visual technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR),it may offer a new research route for product quality control. This study provides a comprehensive review of latest research on digital twin technologies in WAAM. Herein, recent progresses, which highlights a new concept on WAAM digital twin, are presented to reveal challenges of WAAM development; Then, virtual reality technologies for visualization process of WAAM digital twin are summarized and its challenges are demonstrated as well; Finally, outlooks and issues for the development of new WAAM system are proposed and concluded based on these advanced technologies. The article will provide a route to duplicate realistic WAAM system, allowing better understanding and visualization of fabrication process, which benefits manufacturing efficiency and quality improvement, and accelerates the development of industrial applications.