Between 7-12th July, the historic and picturesque island of Rhodes, Greece, hosted the 77th Annual Assembly of the International Institute of Welding (IIW), a major event in the global welding community, providing a unique platform for professionals, researchers, and industry leaders to exchange knowledge, present cutting-edge research, and discuss the latest advancements in welding and materials joining technologies. This year, the IIW conference brought together almost 1,100 participants from 51 countries. 

Among the many innovative projects showcased, Grade2XL stood out, demonstrating its leadership in the cutting-edge field of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), an innovative process that uses wire as a feedstock and an electric arc as a heat source to fabricate large-scale metal components. Our efforts focus on optimizing this technology to create high-quality, complex structures that push the limits of traditional manufacturing methods. 

Grade2XL Final Event: Celebrating the Conclusion of Grade2XL

One of the most significant moments at the conference was the Grade2XL Final Event, organized alongside IIW2024 international conference. This dedicated half-day session welcomed over 50 participants and provided an extensive overview of our project’s key accomplishments. Over the past 4,5 years, our collaborative research has pushed the boundaries of WAAM technology, resulting in numerous advancements and breakthroughs. Academic and industrial experts presented detailed insights into the research, development, and implementation of our innovative WAAM processes. This session not only showcased our technological advancements but also emphasized the collaborative efforts of our partners in driving the project to success.  

Key takeaways from our final event:

  1. Ambitious European research projects require an interdisciplinary approach and very close collaboration between the project partners to achieve technological breakthroughs. The diverse research and working cultures and backgrounds in the consortium bring together valuable insights. This was highlighted in the agenda and in all the presentations of our final event, which for every work presented included contributions from different partners.
  2. Industrial presentations intertwined with academic backing provide confidence to the community about the robustness of our approach. Positive findings from end users attract potential technology adopters and show practical examples of economic and performance benefits.
  3. The materials science community is facing new challenges, with new technologies requiring novel approaches in material design and characterisation. Multimaterial WAAM brings particular challenges in these domains, and our approach and experience in this new field was received with great interest.
  4. The technological advancements need to go hand in hand with societal studies and environmental-LCA studies to deliver their promises. A declining welder population with rising automation technology maturity shows promising potential for the manufacturing industry to cover its future needs. AM technology development serves both the pioneering industries with novel parts, but traditional welding and joining industry by bringing transformative innovations.
  5. The quality control and certification aspects of AM products are considered the most critical points for broad adoption of the WAAM methodology. In this particular aspect we have contributed significant novelty and data to the community to help build confidence in the future of WAAM.
  6. A significant fraction of our attendees were young professionals, a group which IIW brings into particular attention. We see that advanced technology, such as AM and AI-automation, bring together young engineers who will lead the field in the coming decades. In particular our design contest, held 4 times during the project, attracted participation from the young professional section of the welding community.

Exhibition Booth and WAAM Demonstrators

Our presence at the IIW2024 international exhibition was marked by a booth that attracted considerable attention. Central to our exhibit were two impressive WAAM demonstrators, built as part of the Grade2XL Project : 

  • A holding ring for hydroelectric plant – a 3D printed part of 1.2 m in diameter and about 290 kg, showcasing a novel tri-material design with superior performance  
  • A hot forging die of 140 kg, repaired automatically with the RAMLAB MaxQ repair solution and specially alloyed material which showed more than 30% of tool lifetime compared to a new tool. 

These demonstrators served as tangible proof of our project’s ambition, illustrating our confidence towards the potential of WAAM technology in creating large, complex, high-quality components. Attendees were captivated by the impressive size and quality of the demonstrators, sparking numerous discussions and inquiries regarding the methodology, the certification and the materials used. 

Technical Commissions and Paper Presentations

The technical commissions at IIW2024 provided an excellent platform of welding and additive manufacturing experts for us to share the most detailed scientific and technical aspects of our work. We contributed several papers, each highlighting different aspects of our research and its implications for the field of welding and materials science. These presentations inspired the international academic and industry leaders in the field, facilitated valuable exchanges of ideas and feedback from peers. 

Here is the list of Grade2XL presentations to the technical commissions :

  • Deformation and fatigue behavior of bi-metal graded structures produced by Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing, J.L. Galan Argumedo, TU Delft 
  • The effect of Cryogenic cooling on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Wire and Arc Additively Manufactured steels​, Constantinos Goulas, RAMLAB /U. Twente & Marco Ameye, Air Products 
  • 3D Printing and Surfacing of Inconel 625 through Automated Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, Wei Ya, RAMLAB 
  • Arjun Sood, TU Delft 
  • Leszek Latka, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (WRUST / PWRrocTECH) 

Networking and Collaboration

IIW2024 was more than just a conference; it was a hub for networking and collaboration. We engaged with industry leaders, researchers, and fellow innovators, exploring potential collaborations and partnerships. These interactions were invaluable, opening doors to new opportunities and strengthening the Grade2XL partners within the global welding community. 

Thanks to Our Partners

The success of our participation in IIW2024 would not have been possible without the unwavering support and dedication of our partners. We extend a heartfelt thank you to all the Grade2XL partners for their hard work and commitment to excellence.