Additive manufacturing is living large — building massive parts for complex applications layer by layer. Metal 3D printing processes like wire arc additive manufacturing (also known as WAAM) offer distinct advantages over traditional castings and forgings, expediting the production of massive parts and tooling, according to Patrick Wahlen, vice president of Global Alloys & Additive Solutions at Lincoln Electric. Wahlen appeared on the “Tom & Lonnie Chat (TLC): Layer by Layer: Lincoln Electric’s Transformation in Additive Manufacturing” on IMTS+, discussing how the oldest welding company in the world has expanded its business by investing in automation and metal additive manufacturing. Growing Parts and Opportunities Wahlen explained that the capabilities of wire arc additive manufacturing have multiplied. “Just a handful of years ago, we could use wire arc additive manufacturing to make bits and pieces, but we didn’t have the capability to make a high-quality part. It simply didn’t exist,” Wahlen said while explaining the rapid maturation of the technology. “We are in startup mode with this and looking at the long term.” Metal additive manufacturing is increasingly being used to replace old castings. Wahlen explained how Lincoln Electric meets its own maintenance needs by scanning, reverse engineering, and 3D printing broken or fractured parts. Printing replacement parts is far faster and cheaper than casting, especially when you only need a one-off. Tooling up for a single casting isn’t practical. However, casting becomes more economical and efficient when producing multiple parts — and the bigger the batch, the greater the savings. “Instead of stopping production to replace a casting with emerging cracks, we simply print it from the ground up with our own additive manufacturing system,” Wahlen says. “We are proving our own technologies by going big and going bigger.” Multiplying Use Cases Lincoln has also tested its wire arc technology by building replacement parts for the U.S. Navy. For example, Lincoln cut lead times by printing hinges for a reactor door on a submarine assembly. Using an extremely high-strength material (Note: Anything you can weld, you can print), they created two sets of hinges. One set was subjected to destructive testing, and the other set was installed after passing all the requisite tests. “That hinge opened the door and opened the eyes of the Navy to what this technology is capable of doing,” Wahlen recalls. “Even with difficult materials, wire arc additive can outperform castings and provide critical components.” From defense applications to oil and gas solutions, Lincoln Electric is deploying an innovative technology to deliver results on a large scale. That’s big news. Watch the TLC episode “Layer by Layer: Lincoln Electric’s Transformation in Additive Manufacturing” on IMTS+. Make plans to see dozens of additive technologies and speak with experts in the Additive Manufacturing Sector, accelerated by Formnext, at IMTS 2026, Sept. 12-19, at McCormick Place in Chicago. Register at IMTS.com/Register.
Wire arc additive manufacturing technologies can expedite production of parts and tooling — even when those parts are massive.
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