The British company WAAM3D presented the RoboWAAM XP, one of the largest machines of its kind, at Formnext. The system is based on the Cold-Wire Gas Metal Arc (CWGMA) process, which was developed at Cranfield University. According to WAAM3D, the system offers extended possibilities for large-format 3D printing of metal parts.
The CWGMA process combines a non-energized wire with a conventional gas metal arc (GMA). The system processes up to 15 kilograms of material per hour with high efficiency. Stewart Williams, co-founder of WAAM3D and professor at Cranfield University, explained that the method can almost double material deposition without increasing energy consumption due to the additional wire. This stability makes the process suitable for a variety of materials such as iron, aluminum, nickel and copper alloys. In addition, the precise control enables targeted adjustment of the microstructure to achieve specific material properties.
The RoboWAAM XP offers a maximum installation space of 2 x 2 x 2 meters and a maximum payload of 2.1 tons. Equipped with a 6-axis robot arm and a 2-axis component rotator, the machine achieves a repeat accuracy of ±0.05 mm. It supports MIG, MAG and CMT welding processes, provided by Fronius, and integrates WAAM3D’s WAAMPlanner and WAAMCtrl software solutions for seamless workflow control.
Over the past two years, experts have tested the machine extensively, particularly in industries such as energy, aerospace, marine and mining.
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