To Study the Cavitation Erosion Behavior of WAAM-ed Cladded Inconel 625 Over Mild Steel

This study is focused on understanding how Inconel 625, applied through WAAM on mild steel surfaces, behaves when exposed to cavitation erosion (CE)—a common issue in high-speed fluid environments and in hydro machinery applications that can cause material deterioration. Acknowledging the importance of protective coatings in such conditions, the study involves applying Inconel 625 via WAAM onto mild steel, followed by rigorous cavitation testing under several impingement conditions, such as stand-off distance (cm), impingement angle (°), and jet velocity (m/s), using an internally built test rig. The investigation extensively examines the material microstructure, assesses its hardness, and carefully inspects any cavitation-induced damage on the treated surfaces. This exploration of Inconel 625 potential to mitigate cavitation erosion addresses a previously overlooked aspect in hydro machinery applications. The study utilizes the WAAM technique to apply Inconel 625 onto mild steel substrates and conducts cavitation erosion tests in compliance with the ASTM G134 Standard.