WAAM-based repair cladding for forging tools: a comprehensive study of wear in laboratory and industrial conditions

This study explores Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) as a repair method for forging tools, comparing it to conventional H11 tool steel. Laboratory tests were conducted on four samples obtained from different WAAM layers, which are representative of the respective layer positions for hardness and wear tests at room temperature and 500 °C. Chemical composition analysis was performed to verify compliance with tool steel standards, and evaluations included hardness testing at both temperatures, tensile strength assessment, wear resistance measurements (ball-on-disc mode), and hardness mapping to verify layer consistency. The WAAM material exhibited wear factors on the order of 10⁻⁶ mm³/Nm, below typical literature values reported for H11 tool steel, and showed a clear correlation between layer hardness and wear response. Industrial validation through hot forging trials demonstrated that WAAM-repaired tools achieved 3000 cycles compared to 2500 cycles for conventionally repaired tools, with approximately 60% shorter repair time and 21% lower filler material consumption. These results confirm WAAM as a viable and superior method for cladding and repairing forging tools, offering improved durability, higher efficiency, and reduced use of expensive alloying elements in industrial applications.