Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is a directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing technology that is broadening the applicability of AM. Using an electric arc as a fusion source to melt wire feedstock, metallic end-use parts of medium-to-large build volume and low-to-moderate levels of complexity can be cost-efficiently produced.

The development of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), now known as directed energy deposition-arc (DED-arc), is being driven by the need for increased manufacturing efficiency of engineering structures.

Wire Arc Directed Energy Deposition (WA-DED) also known as Wire Arc Additive Manufacture (WAAM) is a niche additive manufacturing technique for metals that is increasingly offering a competitive advantage to traditional forging and casting methods.

The present work focusses on wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and highlights the key points and merits of it. It also emphasis the developments in WAAM, especially on alloys and composite. The effect of process parameters related to heat generation, material flow is explored.

This review investigated various electric arc heat inputs and energy sources for the material depositing processes of gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), cold metal transfer (CMT), plasma arc welding (PAW)-based wire arc additive manufacturing systems.