Innovationen in der additiven Fertigung: Entwicklung einer gradierten Werkstoffstruktur für maßgeschneiderte Anwendungen

This thesis focuses on the application of Plasma Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (PWAAM) for producing a functionally graded material structure on railway wheels made of ER8 steel. The objective is to extend wheel service life, reduce wear, and optimize maintenance intervals. The graded structure combines a buffer layer and a cladding layer, providing both metallurgical benefits and eco-nomic efficiency. The study investigates the challenge of reliably welding high-carbon wheel materials such as ER8, which has a carbon equivalent of 0.82%. Three different filler materials were used for the experimental work. The experimental program involved the production of single-track and multi-track step walls and their subsequent analysis regarding microstructure, hardness distribution, and weld quality. Additionally, an economic assessment of the selected materials was carried out. This work provides a basis for applying additive manufacturing in railway wheel maintenance and highlights the potential of the PWAAM process for future industrial applications. It also shows the advantages of a graded structure over a homogeneous layer, particularly regarding technical performance and cost efficiency. Future research should include residual stress measurements, optimized process parameters for multi-track applications, and full-scale trials on complete wheels to validate the practical feasibility of the method.