Research Projects

The manufacturing industry contributes around 17% to India's GDP; the government aims to increase this contribution to 25% by 2025. The Manufacturing sector is energy-intensive and the second largest producer of Carbon. A sustainable, reduced energy requirement manufacturing method is needed at the time. Additive manufacturing is the most rapidly developing sustainable manufacturing process for the production of customized products. Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) has emerged as a cost-effective alternative for producing large-scale metal parts. Unlike the powder-based AM process, WAAM offers high material efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility. The operational, equipment, and material costs in WAAM are lower when using direct arc heating and wire feedstock. However, its reliance on virgin materials and issues with surface roughness currently limit WAAM's potential as a fully sustainable manufacturing solution. This proposal will address the sustainability limitation of the WAAM by investigating the feasibility of using recycled waste steel as feedstock. Recycled waste steel as raw material in WAAM can provide an alternative to the currently used virgin raw materials. This will have the effect of decreased resource usage and feedstock materials costs. The change in the feedstock will make the WAAM a more feasible choice for a sustainable manufacturing process. Furthermore, waste steel usage aligns with the circular economy principle. The reuse of materials assists environmentally friendly production and waste reduction. By investigating the use of recycled steel and improved surface roughness, this work aims to enable WAAM to deliver eco-friendly metal components with enhanced properties and surface finish. This research work will allow WAAMs to be used in sustainable industries, such as aerospace, construction, and automotive manufacturing. Large-scale, cost-efficient, and environment-friendly metal production is highly required in these industries. Ultimately, this research could enhance the sustainability of the WAAM, setting the stage for innovative solutions that bridge material efficiency with environmental impact reduction.