Energy-Based Decision-Making for Blade Repair via WAAM: Assessing Repair or Replacement Based on Defect Size

Additive manufacturing is swiftly adopted in various industries due to its ability to boost production efficiency and reduce material waste; nevertheless, further research is still necessary to determine its sustainability, especially regarding environmental, economic, and material recycling factors. This research offers a well-rounded analysis of how Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) might help repair operations achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study compares the energy usage of blade repair operations through Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) for different defects (based on their sizes) to the energy required for producing a new blade (Inconel 625), factoring in the benefits of material recycling. For this purpose, five NACA airfoils have been selected to take advantage of the properties of actual airfoils; additionally, concerning the application of blades in turbine compressors, wind turbines, minijets, and propellers, various chord lengths and heights were examined. To identify the more energy-efficient method, a Value Recovery Index (VRI) is defined. If VRI < 1, the repair operation is the preferable option; otherwise, replacing the blade is more energy efficient. The results indicate that, depending on the defect size, WAAM can be a suitable method for repair in terms of energy consumption when compared to blade replacement. Even though the research demonstrates a clear improvement in waste and energy consumption reduction, it cannot be denied that significant progress remains to be made in these areas.